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uapcdileos'  bijo^afailt:;; 


THE  LIFE 

OF 

' .EON  BUONAPARTE : 

CONTAINING 

HISTORICAL  SKETCHES, 

AND 

TES  ILLUSTRATIVE  OP  HIS  PUBLIC  AND 
PRIVATE  CHARACTER. 

SELECTED  AND  ARRANGED  EROM  THE  MOST  AUTHENTIC 
DOCUMENTS  AND  PUBLICATIONS. 


• ITH  A PORTRAIT  OF  THE  EMPEROR. 


BY  AN  AMERICAN. 


ELIZABETH-TOWJV,  J\\  J. 
PUBLISHED  BY  ALLEN  AND  BRYANT, 
J.  8c  E.  Sanderson,  printers. 


1820. 


CONTENTS.  vii 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 


English  a . — death  of  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie,  369 

CHAPTER  XXI Y. 

Moveme  :e;  Hutchinson — close  of  the  campaign  of 

Egypt  . . 390 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

Affairs  i Europe — Buonaparte’s  vexation  at  the 

progre  of  English,  . . . . . . 409 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Suonapa  :’s  :etr  ci  the  republic,  ....  428 

CHAPTER  XXVII. 

Proceed  :S  nsulta — disturbances  in  St.  Domingo — 

extern  arte’s  power — he  is  declared  emperor,  443 

CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

Affairs  o — battle  of  Trafalgar — campaign  in  Rus- 
sia—L !c  ig,  ......  460 

CHAPTER  XXIX. 

Buonapar  abdicate  the  throne — sets  out  for  Elba— . 

accoa  lission  appointed  to  coovej  him — return 

to  Pa  Waterloo—nbrliration  of  Buonaparte  a 

secon  - ider  of  his  person  to  captain  Maitland— 
sails!  jd  St.  Helena,  . . . . 481 


THE  LIFE 


OF 


CHAPTER  I. 

Napoleon  Buonaparte  was  born  on  the  15th of  Au 
gust,  l 769,  at  Ajaccio,  a small  town  in  the  island  of  Corsi- 
ca. He  waj}  the  eldest  son  of  Carlo  Buonaparte,  a lawyer 
of  Italian  extraction,  by  his  wife  Letitia  Raniolini  : and  it 
has  been  sajcij  that  general  P*aoli  was  his  god  father.  Gen- 
eral count  Iilarbceuf  was  the  early  patron  of  Napoleon;  he 
had  conquered  Corsica  for  the  kingdom  of  France,  and  was 
appointed  governor  of  the  island.  His  protection  became 
advantageous  to  the  family  of  Buonaparte,  and  it  is  report- 
ed to  have  been  excited  by  the  charms  of  Napoleon’s  moth- 
er, that  her  blandishments  obtained  the  count’s  warmest  re- 
gards, and  hat  he  rewarded  her  intimations  of  fondness  by 
an  attachment  disgraceful  to  her  reputation,  and  dishonora- 
ble to  her  husband  ; that  these  solicitations  were  but  a con- 
tinuation c,f  the  conduct  she  adopted  towards  others  previ- 
ous to  her  marriage;  that  slie  was  then  notorious!^  unchaste, 
and  that  her  connection  with  the  count,  at  the  same  time 
that  it  confirmed  her  husband’s  suspicion  of  her  infidelity, 
also  gave  hjm  Napoleon  for  an  heir. 

The  story  0f  Buonaparte’s  illegitimacy  is  at  present  des- 
titute of  tho  authority  we  require  ; but  be  his  origin  what  it 
may,  he  became  so  much  an  object  of  the  count  Marboeuf’s 
protection  as  to  have  been  admitted  by  his  influence  with 
the  MareC'hal  cle  Segur,  tire  French  minister  at  war,  as  an 
Eleve  du  I{0i,  into  iJEcole  Roy  ale  Militaire,  at  Brienne,  in 
the  province  of  Champaigne.  It  was  there  that  he  acquired 
a knowled  ge  of  the  military  and  political  sciences,  which  he 
has  since  ;30  well  matured  by  experience,  and  which  has  en- 
abled him  to  lead  mighty  armies  to  battle,  and  to  conquer; 

nces  to  his  feet  to  sue  for  the  nomi- 
■ states  ; which  has  procured  for  him 

2 


THE  LIFI  f 


kingdoms  that  he  has  bestowed  c .hose  >vhe  n 
create  sovereigns,  and  which  has  given  W1'  f 50 
led  and  the  absolute  dominion  of  ar  empire : v at 
be  the  mightiest  on  the  continen  of  IV  1 : 

him  on  the  throne  of  the  most  an:  ait  id  y‘ 
ties  of  the  civilized  world. 

The  school  atBrienne  was  one  of  the  ' v 
itary  schools,  or  colleges,  which 
ous  provinces  of  the  kingdom  of  an  c 
particularly  patronised  by  the  two  Lsr.  -1 
Bourbon  family.  These  establish -cents  v ’ 
ly  endowed,  and  the  pupils  enjoy t o ao  1 
was  essential  to  their  domestic  co  ice. 

VEcole  Roy  ale  Militaire  at  Pais,  vo  at  >.'■< 
other  military  schools  in  the  provin  < s,  i:. 
school  that  not  only  subordination t aekoo' 
pupils  of  the  others,  but  to  which  mey  look 
the  haven  for  all  the  youths  of  pre-en  ; :■«  t :yv 
military  schools  of  the  provinces  ha-!  edocai  d; 
ations  were  annually  held  in  the  pres-  . v!  • 
tor,  who  was  most  commonly  a gener  1 -do  . 
members  of  the  French  academy,  and  - ; 

proficiency  in  study  qualified  them  ft  -cat’ 

good  reputation  in  the  school  was  \ 
ny  of  the  regents,  were  then  selected 
the  Royal  Military  School  at  Pari: 
were  completed,  and  from  hence  the}  • or 
missed,  and  immediately  attached  to 
pointed  to  some  military  employ mer 

Napoleon  Buonaparte  arrived  at  the  . 
at  Brienne,  in  the  year  1779,  being  the 
At  this  early  age,  however,  he  discov 
of  mind.  He  avoided  the  juvenile  Sj 
of  the  other  pupils,  and  courted  soliti. 
drawing  himself  from  their  mirth,  he  <d 
to  sedentary,  rather  than  to  active  emj 
ed  entirely  engaged  in  his  own  indivic 
suits.  He  seldom  exposed  himself  r 
for  as  he  came  only  as  a monitor,  they  ver 
mauds  and  railleries  by  blows,  which  f 
difference,  returned  with  coolness,  ant1  n 
retreating  from  superior  force. 


'.hose  to 
, control - 
aisedto 
id  seated 

> ful  dynas- 

V al  Mil- 
ii  vari- 
were 
of  the 
ificent- 
which 

;;  of  the 

,va  o this 
dged  by  the 
for  w rd  as 
ius  that  the 
x min- 
spec- 
two 
hose 

> > hose 
stimo- 
-•ils  of 
studies 

dis- 
ap- 


ioo! 

Did, 

per 

nts 

th- 

ion 

ar- 

ur- 

x-vs, 

>ri- 

in- 

bv 


thc 

1 


iiar  ter 
miseir 


ip*  l 


* nnec 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


II 


A large  pi 


of  ground  adjoining  the  school,  had  been 


divided  into  aiumber  of  portions,  and  the  boys  were  allow- 
ed to  cultiva  these  portions,  or  appropriate  them  to  such 
other  purposi  as  they  pleased.  One  of  these  parcels  was 
allotted  to  Bipnaparte  and  two  other  lads  ; he  succeeded  in 
prevailing  oijhis  two  partners  to  give  up  their  right  to  par- 
ticipate in  thjamusements  which  their  ground  would  have 
afforded,  andhaving  thus  excluded  all  claim  on  the  part  of 
.any  one  elsehe  proceeded  to  lay  it  out  into  a garden,  which 
he  took  mud  pains  to  improve,  and  his  attention  to  which 
was  the  principal  part  of  his  recreation.  He  expended  the 
money  whic  the  count  Marboeuf  had  sent  him  for  his  pock- 
et, iu  the  costruction  of  a strong  palisade  around  his  gar- 
den, by  whic:  he  rendered  it  difficult  of  access.  The  shrubs 
which  he  af^p  planted,  some  of  which  were  formed  into  im- 
penetrable srbours,  contributed  to  its  seclusion  from  the 
grounds  of  iie  other  boys,  and  increased  the  difficulties  of 
their  intrusDn. 

It  does  mt  appear,  that  on  his  first  entrance  at  school,  any 
' acquirements  of  learning  marked  an  inordi* 
struction,  or  intenseness  of  application  ; he 
:glected,  if  not  altogether  rejected,  in  his  ear- 
:ainment  of  the  Latin  language.  He  soon, 
d himself  with  earnestness  to  the  mathe- 
iments  of  which  he  wagtail ght  by  Father 
m at  Brienne;  Fortification,  and  all  the 
Df  military  science  and  tactics  he  studied 
ig  ardour  ; and  these,  with  the  reading  of  his- 
of  ancient  Rome  and  Greece,  were  his  most 
rations. 

i eriod  which  Buonaparte  continued  at  Bri- 
was  formed  for  the  amusement  and  instruc- 
s,  and  which  was  to  be  under  their  entire 
give  them  proper  notions  of  arrangement 
superiors  left  the  distribution  of  the" books 
to  the  management  of  two  of  the  boarders, 
omrades.  T.  he  calls  of  Buonaparte  on  one  of 
minted  librarian,  were  so  often  and  so  much 
an  the  applications  of  his  companions,  that 
msidered  him  tiresome,  and  sometimes  lost 
>naparte  was  not  less  patient,  nor  less  posi- 
occasions  extorted  submission  by  blows. 


extr" 

nate 

seer 

]y  y 

hov\ 
mat 
Patr 
other 
with 
tory 
delis 
D 
enne 
tion 
direc 
and  * 
and  c 
chose 
these 
more 
the  yc 
his  te; 
tive,  an 


tun . 

Bu 

dies 


THE  LIFE  OF 


The  hours  of  vacation  between  his  attenclace  on  the  pre- 
ceptors of  the  school  were  spent  in  his  garen,  which  he 
cultivated  so  assiduously,  as  to  preserve  it; interior  in  a 
state  of  order  and  cleanliness.  Its  boundarit  became  im- 
pervious, and  enclosed  a retreat  that  might  live  been  cov- 
eted by  a religious  recluse.  Here,  when  his  horticul- 
tural labours  were  ended,  he  retired  to  its  arburs,  with  his 
mathematical  and  scientific  works,  and,  surronded  by  these 
and  other  books  chiefly  on  historical  subj  he  < ditated  . 
the  reduction  of  the  principles  he  had  irr  Ui  to  mactice. 
He  planned  the  attack  and  defence  of  fc  a es,  the 

arrangement  of  hostile  corps  in  order  of  Is,  culated 
the  chances  of  success  on  the  one  part,  ar  ■ >[  ief-  on  the 
other,  altered  their  position,  and  formed  r d victo- 
ries upon  paper,  and  on  the  ground,  wh  . rvvards 

realised  with  success  when  directing  the  vol  of  the 
French  armies.  His  military  ardour  was  by  his 

historical  reading  ; his  enthusiasm  was  e:  a*  ]>  the  lives 

of  those  ancient  legislators,  heroes,  and  w ' .ch  are 

recorded  by  the  venerable  Plutarch,  the  sr-  r i whose 
Actions  have  eclipsed  the  injustice  at  whic  . etimes 

aimed,  and  which  more  frequently  origin;  the  daring 

purposes  of  the  factious  partisan,  or  in  the  af:e  policy 

of  the  bold  faced  tyrant,  than  in  the  lauda  i of  the 

intrepid  patriot,  to  free  his  country  iron;  ,o.ism  ; or, 

than  in  the  resolution  of  the  chief  of  a fre>  to  pre- 
serve their  independence,  and  secure  t mient 

from  treachery.  The  life  of  the  Marshal,  Saxo- 
ny, was  also  a frequent  recreation  to  Bu  • fi.tr  a 

close  application  to  the  mathematics.  H in  all 

his  studies  with  avidity. 

The  Belles  Lettres  were  not  any  source  rtain- 

ment,  his  sole  and  undivided  attention  was  {c  a piire- 

ments,  and  a proficiency  in  the  studies  whi  i . " hab- 
ts  of  a warrior.  Polite,  or  liberal  accomp  i,  he  ap- 

•?ared  to  consider  that  a soldier  should  disc.  He  had, 
mbtless,  heard  of  the  achievements  of  Marli  n the 

Id,  and  perhaps  that  he  had  also  studied  it  of  pleas- 
g,  “ that  bv  it  he  gained,  whoever  he  had  i , t gain  ; 
d he  had  a mind  to  gain  every  body  b it;  lie  knew 
iat  every  body  was,  more  or  less,  worth  gaining.”  But 
p not  by  gracefulness  of  demeanor  that  ;o  mpnrt  e de- 


N APOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


13 


signed  to  win  what  he  could  not  gain  by  mere  force  ; he 
never  sought  t<  i aUair  by  a display  of  any  endeavour  to  please, 
what  he  co  3d  no;  possess  by  his  power;  he  never  relin- 
quished t1  part  if  a thing,  but  acquired  it  by  stratagem, 
in  which  3 sere1  was  10  seeing  of  his  influence.  He  scorn- 
ed the  ar  t i courtier,  nor  even  employed  them  where  it 
might  ha  ■ b<  n su  pposed  that  no  other  attempt  would  suc- 
ceed. 1 a means,  which  power  and  the  ingenuity  of 

an  unculm, s j mi  d would  have  devised,  he  used,  without 
hesitation  hs  comrades  called  him  the  Spartan,  and  he 
retained  ; > ;e  until  he  quitted  Bricnne. 

Buon  i's  attachment  to  Corsica  was  almost  proverbi- 
al. It  v Jaa!  or  the  boys  to  receive  the  communion, 
and  be  nm  n,:  on  the  same  day,  and, the  ceremony  was 

perform  o I >:  Military  School  by' the  archbishop;  when 
he  cam  : uonaparte,  he  asked  him,  like  the  rest,  his 
Christi;  ::l  s Buonaparte  answered  aloud.  The  name 
of  Nape  v [-eii  g uncommon  escaped  the  archbishop,  who 
desired  peat  it,  which  Buonaparte  did,  with  an 

appean  c . itience.  The  minister  who  assisted,  re- 
market  late — “Napoleon!  I do  not  know  that 

saint.”  ; •:  a ! I believe  it,”  observed  Buonaparte — 
“ the  s int  orsican.” 

His  ; i ,s  frequently  irritated  him  by  calling  him 

a Fren  He  retorted  eagerly,  and  with  bitterness  ; 

he  sor  -s  do  dared  a belief  that  his  destiny  ujas  to  de- 
liver ( u oiu  its  dependence  on  France.  The  name 
of  Pac  • ko  cr  mentioned  but  with  reverence,  and  he  as- 
pired o hoe  jr  of  achieving  the  design  which  the  plans 
of  tha  hie  r oi  Id  not  accomplish.  Genoa  had  added  to 
thecal;  nit  i is  country  by  surrendering  it  to  France, 
and  tl  ; sec  it  to  a subjection  which  it  gallantly  resist- 
ed, bt  hieh  superior  force  compelled  submission.  To 
the  Ge"o<  h his  hatred  was  inveterate  and  eternal.  A young 
Corsi  \ h : arrival  at  the  college  was  presented  to  Buo- 
n .par  her  students  as  a Genoese  ; the  gloom  of 

his  co  ic  instantly  kindled  into  rage  ; he  darted  up- 
on th  !V  (h  vehemence,  twisted  his  hands  in  his  hair, 

and  ^ o ih,  prevented  using  further  violence  by  the  im- 
medi  re  nee  of  the  stronger  boys,  who  dragged  the 

lad  av  bis  resentment.  His  anger  rekindled  against 


14 


THE  LIFE  OF 


this  youth  for  many  weeks  afterwards,  as  frequently  as  he 
came  near  him. 

Buonaparte  was  always  desirous  of  hearing  accounts  of 
the  public  transactions  in  Corsica.  He  revered  his  coun- 
try, and  never  mentioned  its  resistance  to  France  without 
enthusiasm.  He  listened  with  the  most  lively  interest  to 
the  various  successes  of  the  Corsican  patriots  in  arms. — 
Some  of  the  French  officers  who  had  served  in  Corsica 
would  frequently  go  to  the  school  at  Brienne,  and  the  con- 
versation often  turned  upon  the  Corsican  war.  They  would 
sometimes  exaggerate  their  advantages  over  the  Corsicans, 
and  he  allowed  them  to  talk  quietly  on,  occasionally,  how- 
ever, asking  a shrewd  question  ; but,  when  he  was  certain 
they  had  falsified  a fact,  he  would  eagerly  exclaim,  “are 
you  not  ashamed,  for  a momentary  gratification  of  vanity,  to 
calumniate  a whole  nation?”  At  one  time  an  officer  was 
describing  a victory,  that  he  said  had  been  obtained  by  six 
hundred  of  the  French  ; Buonaparte  exclaimed,  “ you  say 
there  were  six  hundred  of  you  in  the  engagement : I know 
you  were  six  thousand,  and  that  you  were  opposed  only  by 
a few  wretched  Corsican  peasants.”  He  then  opened  his 
journals  and  maps,  and  referring  to  them,  declaimed  against 
the  vain  glorious  boastings  of  the  French  off!  sirs. 

His  manners  were  very  remarkable  ; pride  v.as  the  prom- 
inent feature  of  his  character ; his  conduct  was  austere;  if 
he  committed  an  error,  it  was  not  the  fault  of  t boy,  it  was 
the  result  of  deliberation,  and  what  would,  in  mature  age, 
have  been  deemed  a crime.  His  severity  never  forgave  the 
offences  of  his  companions.  His  resolves  were  immovea- 
ble, and  his  firmness. in  trifles  tinctured  his  behaviour  with 
obstinacy  and  eccentricity.  Frequently  engaged  in  quar- 
rels, he  was  often  the  greatest  sufferer,  as  he  generally  con- 
tended on  the  weakest  side,  and  though  he  was  mostly  sin- 
gled out  as  an  object  of  revenge,  he  never  complained  to 
Ins  superiors  of  ill  treatment.  He  meditated  retaliation  in 
silence,  and  if  he  could  not  inflict  a punishment  himself,  he 
disdained  appealing  to  an  authority  that  could  erjforce  it. 

The  boys  of  the  school  were,  however,  gradually  famil-  ' 
iarized  to  his  temper  ; he  would  not  bend  to  them,  and  they 
were  contented  to  concede  to  him.  He  accepted  this  ac- 
knowledgment of  his  superiority,  'without  any  appearance 
of  self  gratulation,  and  although  they  could  not  esteem  him 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


15 


for  any  of  the  wilder  virtues,  they  feared  his  inflexible  na- 
ture, and  allowed  him  either  to  indulge  in  seclusion,  or  to 
associate  with  tlemselves  as  he  might  please.  1 he  insur- 

frequent, 


rections  of  the 


scholars  against  the  masters 


were 


and  Buonaparte  was  either  at  the  head  of  each  rebellion  or 
was  selected  to  advocate  their  complaints.  He  was  there- 
fore generally  selected  as  the  leader,  and  suffered  severe 
chastisement.  He  often  vindicated  his  conduct,  but  never 
entreated  pardon  He  listened  to  reproach  and  to  reproof, 
to  promises,  an  l to  threats,  without  emotions  of  fear  or  sur- 


prise. 


He  was  never  humiliated  by  those  punishments  that 
were  intended  ito  disgrace  him,  and  the  raillery  of  an  ungen- 
erous comrade, [or  a powerful  superior,  was  equally  receiv- 
ed in  sullen  sjlence.  He  neither  courted  good-will  nor 
feared  resentment. 

The  meetings  of  the  boys  were  on  the  plan  of  a military 
establishment.,'  They  formed  themselves  into  companies, 
each  under  tha  command  of  a captain  and  other  officers, 
and  the  wholj  composed  a battalion,  with  a colonel  at  its 
head.  The  officers  were  chosen  by  the  boys,  and  decora- 
ted by  the  ormments  usually  attached  to  the  French  uni- 
form. These  distinctions  of  rank  being  conferred  by  the 
lads  were  mostly  the  reward  of  some  pre-eminent  virtue  or 
ability,  they  vere  therefore  considered  by  those  who  were 
so  fortunate  tq  obtain  them  as  an  honourable  insignia  of  mer- 
it. Buonaparte  was  unanimously  chosen,  and  held  the  rank 
of  captain.  Me,  however,  by  no  means  courted  their  ap- 
probation, foi  he  was  soon  afterwards  summoned  before  a 
court-martial  which  was  called  with  all  due  formality,  and, 
on  charges  being  proved  against  him,  declared  unworthy  to 
command  thpse  comrades  whose  good-will  he  despised. — 
The  sentence  disgraced  him  to  the  lowest  rank  in  the  bat- 
talion, he  wtjs  stripped  of  the  distinguishing  marks  of  his 
command,  but  disdained  to  shew  that  he  was  affected  by 
the  disgrace! 

The  younger  boys,  however,  were  partial  to  Buonaparte’s 
manners,  fqr  he  sometimes  encouraged  them  in  their  sports, 
and  occasionally  pointed  out  some  advantage  which  in  their 
warlike  plats  had  been  omitted  to  be  occupied,  hence  he 
associated  \Vith  them,  and  they  voted  him,  by  acclamation, 
the  Director  of  their  Diversions.  Thus,  if  he  felt  regret 
for  the  loss  of  his  juvenile  military  rank,  he  was  now  re- 


16 


THE  LIFli  OF 


compensed  by  becoming  the  leader  of  the  lads,  who  submit- 
ted  to  the  authority  they  had  bestowed  on  him,  and  which 
authority  soon  extended  itself  over  all  the  youths  in  the 
school.  Without  being  restricted  to  cbserve  the  rules 
which  arc  essential  to  modern  military  duty,  he  could  now 
bring  his  forces  into  the  field,  and  direct  alltheir  operations. 
He  availed  himself  of  this  new  command,  tnd  he  disciplin- 
ed his  comrades  to  a new  mode  of  warfare. 

Buonaparte  divided  his  youthful  comrades  into  two  par- 
ties- ; they  were  alternately  the  Romans  and  the  Carthagi- 
nians, the  Greeks  and  the  Persians.  To  represent  the  mode 
of  fighting  of  the  ancients  in  the  open  field,  was  more  easy 
for  these  lads  than  to  imitate  the  movements  of  an  army  of 
modern  times.  They  were  destitute  of  artillery,  which  in 
European  battles  are  sometimes  more  decisve  of  the  fate  of 
the  day  than  any  weapons  of  individual  use.  In  sham 
fights,  indeed,  the  tnusket  is  more  often  used,  because  it 
more  often  happens  that  artillery  is  not  to  )e  obtained  to 
heighten  the  effect  of  the  contest,  but  the  musket  which  is 
the  only  weapon  in  the  hands  of  the  soldier,  is  insufficient 
to  picture  in  a sham  fight  its  effect  in  an  actual  engagement, 
which  is  oftener  decided  by  the  bayonet  thai  by  fire-arms. 
Buonaparte  therefore  instituted  and  encouraged  the  prac- 
tice of  the  ancient  warfare  ; he  excited  the  enthusiasm  of 
his  youthful  soldiery  by  his  speeches  and  hh  actions  ; he 
led  on  one  party  against  another,  and  the  victory  was  olten 
disputed  with  an  obstinacy  that  would  have  honoured  a 
more  important  struggle.  If  his  troops  fled,  he  recalled 
them  by  his  reproaches  ; by  exposing  himsell  to  dangers 
he  revived  their  ardour,  and  supported  their  intrepidity  by 
his  own  bravery.  These  conflicts  were  often  repeated,  and 
the  field  of  battle  disputed  with  more  firmness  on  every  oc- 
casion. At  length  the  games  which  commenced  in  sport, 
seldom  closed  until  the  wounds  of  the  combatants  proved 
the  earnestness  with  which  they  contended.  The  superiors 
of  the  college  interfered,  they  reprimanded  the  young  gen- 
eral Buonaparte,  and  a renewal  of  these  battles  was  prohib- 
ited. 

His  activity  repressed  in  the  only  exercise  to  which  he 
was  attached,  Buonaparte  retired  to  his  favorite  garden,  re- 
sumed his  former  occupations,  ai  id  appe  ar  d no  more  moi.g 
his  comrades  until  the  winter  of  the  year  178o.  The  se- 


ifAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


17 


verity  of  the  wea 


her  had  driven  him  from  his  retreat,  the 


open  a winter  canpaign  upon  a new 
art  of  war  succeed 
engaged  in  the  st 


snow  laid  thick  ipon  the  ground,  and  a hard  frost  had  set 
in.  Buonaparte,  ever  fertile  in  expedients,  determined  to 

plan.  The  modern 
led  to  the  ancient.  Having  been  deeply 
idv  of  fortification,  it  was  natural  that  he 
should  be  desirojs  of  reducing  its  theory  to  practice.  He 
called  his  fellow  pupils  around  him,  and  collecting  their 
gardening  implements,  he  put  himself  at  their  head,  and 
they  proceeded  jo  procure  large  quantities  of  snow,  which 
particular  spots  in  the  great  court  of  the 
cted.  Whilst  they  were  thus  occupied, 


tracing  the  boundaries  of  an  extensive  for- 


were  brought  to 
school,  as  he  dir 
he  was  busied  ii 
tification  ; they  ;oon  formed  intreuchments,  and  afterwards 
eagerly  engagedlin  erecting  foris,  bastions  and  redoubts  of 
snow.  They  lapoiired  with  activity,  and  Buonaparte  su- 
perintended ther  exertions. 

The  whole  of  these  works  were  soon  completed  accor- 
ding to  the  excpt  rules  of  art.  The  curiosity  of  the  peo- 
ple of  Brienne,  md  even  of  strangers,  was  excited  by  the 
reports  of  their  extent  and  scientific  construction,  and  they 
went  in  crowds  during  the  winter  to  admire  them.  Buo- 
naparte, by  turns,  headed  the  assailants  and  the  opponents  ; 
he  united  addnjss  with  courage,  and  directed  the  operations 
with  great  apphuse.  The  weapons  of  the  contending  par- 
ties were  snowjballs,  and  he  continually  kept  up  the  inter- 
est by  some  military  man  oeuvre,  which  always  surprised  if 
it  did  not  astonish.  The  encounters  were  equally  earnest 
with  those  of  the  summer  campaign,  but  the  arms  were  dif- 
ferent. The  mperiors  now  encouraged  these  games  of  the 
boys,  by  praising  those  who  distinguished  themselves.  The 
sports  continued  throughout  the  winter,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  sun  of  the  month  of  March,  I7b4,  liquified  the  fortress, 
that  it  was  declared  no  longer  tenable. 

The  rudemss  of  manners  which  Buonaparte  displayed, 
and  the  violence  of  temper  to  which  he  was  subject,  were 
not  at  all  softened  or  subdued  previous  to  his  quitting  Bri- 
enne ; his  paroxysms  of  passion  had  sometimes  amounted 
even  to  fury,  and  his  anger  was  often  so  sudden  and  so  un- 
controllable that  few  of  his  comrades  would  venture  to  haz- 
ard his  displeasure.  The  following  instance  may  be  addu- 
ced of  his  extraordinary  disposition : 


THE  LIFE  OF 


The  pupils  of  the  military  school  wert  permitted  every 
year,  on  the  day  of  St.  Louis,  (the  25th  of  August,)  to  give 
themselves  up  to  pleasure,  and  the  mos  noisy  demonstra- 
tions of  joy,  almost  without  restraint.  /II  punishment  was 
suspended,  ail  subordination  ceased,  and  generally  some  ac- 
cident occurred  before  the  day  concluded. 

Such  pupils  as  had  attained  fourteen  y<ars  of  age,  an  old 
custom  of  the  college  had  allowed  the  privilege  of  purcha- 
sing a certain  quantity  of  gunpowder,  and  for  a long  time 
before  the  day  arrived  these  youths  would  assemble  to  pre- 
pare their  fire- works.  They  were  also  permitted  to  dis- 
charge small  cannon,  muskets,  and  othei  fire  arms,  when 
and  as  often  as  they  thought  proper. 

It  was  on  St.  Louis’s  day,  in  1784,  the  last  year  of  Buo- 
naparte’s remaining  at  the  school,  that  he  affected  an  en- 
tire indifference  to  the  means  which  his  omrades  used  for 
its  celebration.  They  were  all  animationand  hilarity,  ac- 
tivity and  spirit.  He  was  all  gloom  and  taciturnity,  thought 
and  reflection.  Retired  the  whole  day  ii  his  garden,  he 
not  only  did  not  participate  in  the  generd  rejoicing,  but 
pretended  to  continue  his  usual  study  and  cccupations  with- 
out being  disturbed  by  the  noise.  His  conrades  were  too 
much  engaged  in  their  amusements  to  thick  of  interrupt- 
ing him,  and  would  only  have  laughed  at  lis  strange  be- 
haviour, if  an  uncommon  circumstance  had  not  drawn  upon 
him  their  general  attention  and  resentment. 

Towards  nine  o’clock  in  the  evening  cbout  twenty  of 
the  young  people  were  assembled  in  that  gtrden  yvhich  ad- 
joined to  his,  in  which  the  proprietor  had  promised  to  en- 
tertain them  with  a show.  It  consisted  of  a pyramid,  com- 
posed of  various  fire- works;  a light  was  pphed,  and,  un- 
fortunately, a box,  containing  several  pound . of  gunpow- 
der, had  been  forgotten  to  be  removed.  While  the  youths 
were  admiring  the  effect  of  the  fire-works,  a spark  entered 
the  box,  which  instantly  exploded  ; some  bgs  and  arms 
were  broken,  two  or  three  faces  miserably  bu-ne  !,  and  sev- 
eral paces  of  wall  thrown  down.  The  confusion  was  very 
great,  and  some  of  the  lads,  in  their  alarm,  eideavoured  to 
escape  through  the  adjoining  fence,  they  brcke  the  pali- 
sades, and  Buonaparte  was  seen  stationed  on  the  other  side, 
aimed  with  a pick-axe,  and  pushing  those  back  into  the  fire 
wiiO  had  burst  the  ience.  The  blows  winch  he  bestowed 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPABTE. 


23 


to  whom  the  people  looked  up  with  much  expectation, 
as  his  conduct  while  Dauphin  had  been  of  the  most  ex- 
emplary kind.  In  the  year  1770,  he  had  married  Marie 
Antoinette,  daughter  of  Maria  Teresa,  and  sister  to  Joseph 
the  lid,  emperor  of  Germany,  a princess  of  an  excellent 
capacity,  and  great  dignity  of  mind,  and  which  alliance 
might  have  been  eminently  serviceable  to  the  nation,  but 
for  the  egotism  and  selfishness  of  the  French,  which  con- 
stantly led  them  to  be  guilty  of  any  meanness  rather  than 
to  acknowledge  a real  obligation  to  any  power  but  their 
own. 

Disorder  prevailed  in  public  as  well  as  private  affairs, 
and  the  revenues  of  the  state  were  as  inadequate  to  its  wants 
as  the  incomes  of  individuals  were  unequal  to  their  de- 
mands. Every  one  saw  the  absolute  necessity  for  reform, 
but  no  one  had  virtue  enough  to  begin  it  with  himself; 
hence  murmurs  were  heard  instead  of  consultations  be- 
ing held,  and  the  violence  of  contention,  instead  of  the 
councils  of  amity. 

A firm  and  enterprising  prince,  in  the  circumstances  of 
Louis  the  XVIth,  would  have  benefited  greatly  by  the 
general  state  of  Europe.  At  the  commencement  of  his 
reign,  England,  the  only  power  from  whom  France  could 
expect  any  cause  of  quarrel,  was  engaged  in  such  nu- 
merous disputes  with  her  Indian  and  American  colonies 
that  she  could  have  nothing  to  apprehend  from  that  quar- 
ter. The  kings  of  Prussia  and  Sweden,  as  well  as  the 
empress  Catharine,  had  made  such  various  reforms  in 
their  several  states,  that  the  public  were  universally  pre- 
pared for  ameliorations  and  improvements,  and  the  whole 
body  of  the  literati  had  so  lar  committed  themselves  upon 
the  reforms  necessary  in  France,  that'  they  could  not, 
with  any  decency,  have  opposed  the  correction  of  such 
abuses  as  the  French  monarch  might  have  been  deter- 
mined to  e fleet. 

An  undefined  animosity  had  existed  for  ages  between 
England  and  France,  which  was  always  more  powerful 
in  the  latter  people  against  the  English  than  in  the  people  of 
England  against  the  French.  The  American  colonies 
had  determined  to  dissolve  the  bond  that  connected  them 
with  the  mother  country,  and  to  declare  themselves  inde- 
pendent of  the  crown  of  England.  Every  argument  used 


THE  LTFE  OF 


24 

to  justify  this  violent  separation  was  calculated  to  teach 
the  discontented  that  they  might  throw  off  their  allegi- 
ance with  impunity,  and  a prudent  monarch  should  have 
seen  that  he  was  most  sedulously  called  upon  to  guard 
against  their  introduction  into  his  empire  ; but  the  court 
ol  France  was  so  strongly  tempted  by  the  opportunit}  of 
humbling  an  old  antagonist,  that  it  seemed  to  overlook 
all  consequences,  and  injudiciously  lent  its  aid  to  achieve 
the  triumphs  of  rebellion.  One  of  the  American  leaders 
was  admitted  at  Paris  in  the  character  of  ambassador,  and 
large  armies  and  fleets  were  fitted  out  and  sent  to  the  con- 
tinent of  the  new  world,  where  they  fought  side  by  side 
with  those  who  maintained  that  taxation  was  a fraud — that 
both  the  nobles  and  clergy  were  like  locusts,  that  devour- 
ed the  fruits  of  the  earth,  and  that  kings  themselves  were 
nuisances,  whose  dominion  they  were  fighting  to  get  rid 
of. 

The  forces  of  America  and  France  acted  in  conjunction 
for  near  sixyears.  And  when  the  French  troopsembarked  for 
their  own  country,  they  returned  to  tell  their  comrades  and 
neighbours  at  home,  that  the  king’s  supremacy  was  a vul- 
gar error,  for  that  they  had  been  assisting  a people  to  over- 
throw the  established  law,  and  to  reduce  the  burthens  of 
taxation,  by  governing  themselves. 

To  secure  the  good  will  of  the  people,  a treaty  was  en- 
tered into  with  America,  by  which  it  was  stipulated  that  the 
States  should  reimburse  the  sums  that  France  had  expend- 
ed on  their  account  din  ing  the  war,  and  the  whole  amount 
(eighteen  millions  of  livres)  was  to  be  paid  by  annual  instal- 
ments, in  twelve  years.  A treaty,  offensive  and  defensive, 
was  entered  into  with  Holland,  and  a commercial  treaty  was 
entered  into  with  England.  Every  thing  failed  of  its  ob- 
ject. The  most  sour  and  ill-natured  constructions  were  put 
upon  every  attempt  to  conciliate,  and  which,  instead  of 
increasing  satisfaction,  served  only  to  aggravate  the  gene- 
ral discontent. 

Among  the  measures  that  created  the  greatest  mur- 
murs, were  the  English  commercial  treaty,  and  the  estab- 
lishment of  a company  with  an  exclusive  trade  to  the  East 
Indies. 

Amidst  the  general  ferment,  the  principles  of  the  Ameri- 
can revolution  were  easily  to  be  discovered ; the  generous 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


25 


cry  of  liberty  resounded  every  where,  but  the  ideas  convey- 
ed by  it  were  as  different  as  the  numerous  situations  of  the 
persons  by  whom  it  was  echoed.  France  contained  a vast 
number  of  enlightened  statesmen,  yet  an  immense  mass  of 
the  population  was  as  ignorant  as  superstition  and  poverty 
could  make  them.  Instead,  therefore,  of  craving  a sublime 
System,  that  should  ameliorate  the  condition  of  all  with-, 
out  operating  oppressively  upon  any,  the  generality  of 
Frenchmen  understood  nothing  more  by  liberty  than  the 
removal  of  some  particular  burden,  by  which  each  was  more 
immediately  affected.  Every  one,  however,  complained 
of  some  sort  of  grievance,  and  though  the  gratification  of 
one  would  have  been  an  affliction  to  another,  vet,  as  * 
ther  precisely  knew  his  neighbour’s  defier : 

Liberty,  it  became  a common  watch-word 

Violent  as  the  conflicts  of  opinion  were  it 
period,  the  attention  of  the  parties  were,  in  a * 
diverted  from  their  own  affairs,  by  the  events  t. 
ing  in  other  countries. 

The  people  of  England  had  resisted  an  obi 
post  upon  retail  shopkeepers,  which  the  minister 
ingly  resolved  to  maintain  in  the  face  of  all  opp 
The  tax  seemed  indirectly  to  sanction  the  unjust 
of  exemption,  and  it  was  censured  with  so  much 
that  it  was  abandoned,  after  a struggle  of  about  two 

In  Holland  a contention  of  another  kind  agitated  tffi 
lie  mind.  The  government  was  nominally  vested  . 
prince  of  Orange,  as  stadtholder,  or  head  of  the  states, 
was  really  lodged  in  the  power  of  the  states-general, 
congress,  consisting  of  representatives  from  the  Seven  Pr< 
inces.  All  affairs  of  general  government  were  directed  L 
this  body,  while  those  of  internal  administration  were  en 
tirely  under  the  direction  of  the  burgo- masters.  The  per- 
sons of  both  those  classes,  had,  by  a frequent  return  to 
power,  and  by  an  artful  combination,  transformed  them- 
selves into  an  hereditary  aristocracy,  for  they  eouid  manage 
to  prevent  the  representation  going  out  of  their  own  fami- 
lies, and  nothing  was  wanting  to  convert  them  into  an  he- 
reditary government  but  the  removal  of  the  stadtholder.— 
To  this  minister  (for  he  was  nothing  else)  they  allowi  cl  just 
power  enough  to  leave  him  open  to  blame,  in  case  oi  mis- 
fortune, but  not  sufficient  to  entitle  him  to  praise  in  case  of 

4 


26 


THE  LIFE  OF 


success.  The  leading  finesse  by  which  they  were  to  effect 
their  purpose,  was,  to  enlarge  upon  every  accident,  as  ari- 
sing out  of  the  mal-administration  of  the  stadtholder,  and 
by  this  chicanery  to  persuade  the  people  to  deposit  their  lib- 
erties in  their  hands.  Wealth,  power,  and  insolence,  were 
the  adorable  trinity  of  these  cowardly  and  contemptible 
wretches  ; and  because  England  had  refused  to  gratify  their 
cupidity  by  sanctioning  the  illegal  trade  that  they  carried  on 
with  her  enemies  during  the  American  war,  under  the  col- 
our of  neutrality,  they  necessarily  became  the  enemies  of 
England,  and  revenge  as  naturally  threw  them  into  the  arms 
of  France. 

The  necessity  of  assembling  the  states- general  was  ur- 
^ed  from  all  parts  of  the  kingdom,  and  Louis  now  saw 
no  other  means  were  left  him  of  saving  the  country 
he  calamities  of  a civil  war. 

mean  time  the  popular  party  lost  no  time  in 
ing  itself.  Inflammatory  writings  were  distribu- 
tive people,  and  placards  were  posted  upon  the 
public  buildings,  charging  the  people  with  cow- 
id  servility  for  submitting  to  the  arbitrary  meas- 
ji  the  government.  The  vilest  censures,  and  the  most 
jus  torrents  of  personal  abuse,  were  poured  upon  the 
.yal  family,  especially  upon  the  queen,  who  was  charged 
vith  stimulating  every  violent  proceeding  ; and  enigmatic- 
il  sentences,  some  written,  and  others  printed,  exciting  the 
leople  to  revolt,  were  liberally  distributed  and  read  with 
avidity. 

In  the  morning  of  Sunday  the  13th  of  July  , 1788,  most 
of  the  extensive  kingdom  of  France  was  involved  in  sol- 
emn darkness,  which  was  succeeded  by  a dreadful  com- 
mixture of  hail,  rain,  thunder,  lightning  and  wind,  uniting 
their  fury  to  destroy  every  appearance  of  corn,  vintage,  and 
vegetation.  Dismay  and  horror  diffused  themselves  through- 
out the  land,  as  if  the  consummation  of  all  things  was  fast 
approaching,  and  the  people  on  their  way  to  church  were 
so  beaten  by  the  tempest,  that  they  fell  prostrate  on  the 
earth,  now  converted  into  a quagmire,  by  the  concussion 
of  the  elements.  The  damages  occasioned  by  the  hurri- 
cane were  supposed  to  amount  to  four  millions  sterling, 
and  the  misery  it  inflicted  upon  the  people  of  the  most  dis- 
tressing kind. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


27 


To  alleviate  the  distresses  of  the  unhappy  sufferers,  the 
king  ordered  the  profits  of  a lottery,  amounting  to  twelve 
hundred  thousand  livres,  to  be  divided  amongst  them,  and 
forgave  them  all  the  taxes  for  the  space  of  a year,  from  the 
time  of  their  calamity.  The  benevolence  of  the  duke  of 
Orleans  upon  the  occasion,  was  also  very  extensive.  Not 
only  did  this  desolating  event  promote  the  revolution  by  the 
distress  it  occasioned,  but  it  afforded  the  people  opportuni- 
ties of  forming  tumultuous  assemblies,  that  the  government 
could  not  restrain.  What  cruel  measures  of  police  could 
censure  the  people  for  endeavouring  to  get  bread  ? Their 
business  called  them  to  the  bakers’  shops,  and  murmurs  up- 
on a particular  subject  easily  received  a more  general  appli- 
cation, so  that  every  street  became  a public  forum,  where 
men,  women,  and  children,  indiscriminately  mixed  togeth- 
er, to  arraign  the  conduct  of  the  court. 

At  length  the  much  desired  period  arrived,  that  was  fond- 
ly expected  by  the  great  mass  of  the  people  to  terminate  all 
the  disorders  a .d  tumults  of  the  kingdom.  His  majesty 
met  the  states-general  on  the  4th  of  May,  1789,  in  one  as- 
sembly, and  left  them  without  noticing  the  contention  that 
was  in  embryo,  relative  to  voting  in  separate  chambers. 

Mutual  jealousies  and  explanations,  frequent  paroxysms 
of  tumultuous  frenzy,  and  various  attempts  to  form  a new 
constitution,  brought  the  proceedings  of  the  national  assem- 
bly down  to  the  eleventh  of  July,  when  all  the  elements  of 
restless  distraction  began  to  lower  throughout  the  vast  ex- 
panse of  political  combination,  with  such  a threatening  as- 
pect, that  the  imagination  became  bewildered  by  the  cata- 
logue of  woes  that  were  announced,  and  the  mind  seemed 
to  stagger  beneath  the  weight  of  its  own  conjectures.  The 
count  de  Mirabeau  had  expressed  himself  so  energetically, 
upon  the  symptoms  of  a dangerous  conspiracy  on  the  part 
of  the  court  against  the  deliberations  and  existence  of  the 
assembly,  that  the  popular  party  looked  up  to  him  as  a 
leader  and  deliverer,  and  the  court  evidently  began  to  has- 
ten its  preparations  for  some  desperate  explosion. 

Upon  one  point  only  had  the  confidence  of  the  assem- 
bly and  the  people  reposed  for  some  days.  M.  Necker  was 
considered  the  sincere  friend  of  liberty,  and  it  was  thought 
impossible  that  any  hostile  measures  could  be  attempted, 
so  long  as  he  remained  in  the  ministry  ; the  court  rather 


28 


THE  LIFE  OF* 


endured  than  employed  him,  and  his  dismissal  From  office 
was  resolved  upon  the  moment  that  the  forces  were  thought 
sufficient  to  triumph  over  the  public  voice.  “ The  minis- 
try is  dismissed,  and  Necker  is  sent  into  exile,”  was  echo- 
ed by  every  voice  throughout  Versailles,  and  the  most  un- 
feigned grief  was  depicted  on  every  countenance.  Anew 
administration  was  appointed,  consisting  of  the  most  violent 
enemies  of  liberty,  and  every  one  expected  that  the  foreign 
troops  would  receive  orders  to  seize  upon  the  national  as- 
sembly without  delay. 

Intelligence  of  such  importance,  would,  upon  ordinary- 
occasions,  have  been  circulated  throughout  Paris  in  a few 
hours,  but  all  the  high  roads  and  direct  ways  had  become 
so  barricadoed  that  no  foot  passenger,  nor  even  the  poet 
could  pass  to  carry  the  news.  It  arrived  circuitously  and 
by  slow  degrees,  and  when  it  was  at  first  related,  it  was 
treated  as  a report,  wickedly  invented  to  excite  confusion ; 
at  last  it  reached  the  palais-royal,  in  a shape  that  could  no 
longer  admit  of  a doubt.  The  minister  was  gone  no  one 
knew  whither,  and  the  representatives  of  the  people  might 
be  already  incarcerated  in  the  dungeons  of  the  state.  No 
language  can  describe  the  agitation  that  instantaneously  con- 
vulsed the  vast  population  of  Paris.  It  was  a mixture  of 
grief  and  indignation,  impetuously  hurried  on  by  all  the 
anxieties  of  doubt.  Pleasure  no  longer  possessed  the  charm 
of  pleasing,  and  the  least  indication  of  joy  would  have  been 
considered  as  a crime.  All  the  theatres  were  immediately 
shut  by  order  of  the  people. 

Busts  of  Necker  and  the  duke  of  Orleans  Were  procured, 
and  carried  about  the  streets  covered  with  crape,  and  the 
air  resounded  with  the  names  of  their  favour-te.  It  was 
even  suggested,  that  the  king  ought  to  be  dethroned,  /and 
the  duke  of  Orleans  appointed  his  successor,  as  a certain 
means  of  effecting  the  return  of  the  minister.  The  bells 
of  ail  the  churches  were  rang,  and  the  people  were  collected 
in  crowds  upon  the  bridges,  and  in  all  the  open  places  of 
the  city,  where  the  most  fanciful  and  talkative  endeavoured 
to  inflame  their  indignation  with  all  the  anticipations  of  mil- 
itary vengeance  and  executions,  that  the  late  tumults  had 
exposed  them  to.  The  dispositions  of  the  foreign  corps 
were  contrasted  with  those  of  the  French  guards,  and  pains 
were  taken  to  shew,  that  both  the  French  soldiers  and 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


29 


the  French  people,  ought  to  unite  all  their  efforts  to  save 
their  country  from  being  given  up  to  the  pillage  and  pun- 
ishment of  hired  hordes.  In  the  midst  of  these  lectures  the 
prince  of  Lambesc  appeared  at  the  head  of  a German  reg- 
iment, to  clear  the  streets,  and  to  disperse  the  multitude. — 
No  circumstance  could  have  occurred  more  calculated  to 
increase  the  fury  of  the  people,,  and  tire  most  insignificant 
lecturer  found  himself  capable  of  leading  large  bodies  to 
any  enterprise  that  he  might  suggest,  by  tire  mere  art  of  ex- 
citing their  indignation  against  any  passing  event.  A mere 
accident  formed  an  immediate  hot-bed,  by  which  France 
was  instantly  supplied  with  legislators  and  commanders  in 
chief,  ready  to  resist  the  most  powerful  efforts  of  the  best 
established  governments. 

The  palais-royal  became  the  central  resort  for  those  con- 
gregations, and  was  the  most  convenient  spot  for  rallying  all 
the  forces  of  the  city,  as  welt  on  account  of  being  situated 
nearly  in  the  middle  of  Paris,  as  of  the  ready  access  that  it 
afforded  to  all  descriptions  of  people.  Here  Gorsas,  an  ob- 
scure schoolmaster,  with  Ciceronian  eloquence,  was  stim- 
ulating his  audience,  and  there  Camille  Desmoulins,  an  ad- 
vocate of  considerable  talents,  was  irritating  the  passions  of 
the  multitude  by  every  species  of  theatrical  flourish  that  his 
fertile  imagination  could  suggest.  With  a pistol  in  each 
hand  Camille  was  vehemently  haranguing,  to  prove,  that 
no  man  was  certain  of  his  life  and  liberty  for  a a single  hour; 
when  a report  was  circulated,  that  the  prince  of  Lambesc, 
in  his  march,  had  struck  an  old  man  with  his  sword.  No 
pains  were  taken  to  examine  whether  the  report  was  true 
or  false,  or  whether,  if  true,  the  prince  had  been  stimulated 
by  anger,  or  a humane  desire  of  saving  the  aged  person  from 
being  trampled  under  fits  horse’s  feet ; a skirmish  had  en- 
sued between  the  Parisians  and  the  troops,  and  a general  cry 
of  “To  arms!  to  arms  !”  impelled  every  creature  to  the 
field  of  action. 

It  was  late  on  the  12th  of  July,  that  the  cavalry  were 
driven  out  of  Paris,  and  it  was  hourly  expected  that  the 
marshal  Broglio,  who  held  the  command  of  all  the  corps  in 
the  neighbourhood,  and  who  was  attached  to  the  most  des- 
potic principles,  would  attempt  to  reduce  the  city.  The 
apprehension  was  terrible,  repose  was  banished  from  every 
breast,  and  sleep  refused  to  grant  a momentary  respite  irom 


30 


THE  LIFE  OF 


disquietude  ! The  hearts  of  mothers  palpitated  with  the 
most  dreadful  alarms  for  the  safety  of  their  infants,  whilst  the 
fears  of  the  rich  were  increased  bj  a sense  of  the  more  than 
common  dangers  to  which  they  were  exposed,  in  a moment 
when  all  the  barriers  were  thrown  down  between  temptation 
and  gratification. 

The  silent  hours  of  night  were  chased  away  by  the  clan- 
gour of  alarms,  and  the  different  rude  weapons  that  an  irreg- 
ular multitude  could  purloin  from  the  various  domestic  and 
manufacturing  purposes  to  which  they  were  usually  applied, 
every  house  became  a fortress,  and  every  citizen  a soldier. 
Morning  arrived,  but  no  enemy  made  his  appearance ! — 
All  was  suspense,  but  the  mysterious  delay  had  no  tendency 
to  restore  the  public  tranquillity.  No  motive  could  retard  the 
interference  of  government,  but  a desire  to  mature  its  plans, 
and  as  the  dangers  would  increase  by  the  length  of  time 
that  was  required  to  strengthen  them,  no  time  was  to  be  lost 
in  preparing  to  meet  them. 

All  the  shops  were  shut,  and  all  business  was  at  an  end. 
The  electors  of  Paris  were  spontaneously  formed  into  a 
provisionary  government,  and  the  final  issue  of  the  contest 
was  expected  with  the  greatest  impatience. 

Whilst  Paris  was  thus  preparing  the  means  of  defence, 
the  situation  of  the  national  assembly  was  supposed  to,  be 
most  perilous,  the  communication  with  Versailles  was  in  a 
great  measure  cut  off  by  the  intermediate  bodies  of  troops, 
and  in  case  of  attack  the  inhabitants  of  Versailles  could 
afford  no  resistance  to  the  armed  force.  But  the  assembly 
betrayed  no  symptoms  of  fear,  the  members  seemed  con- 
vinced that  they  had  more  justice  on  their  side  than  could 
possibly  be  asserted  on  that  of  the  court,  and  their  whole 
reliance  was  placed  in  the  rectitude  of  their  cause,  and  the 
zeal  of  their  fellow  citizens. 

On  the  night  of  the  thirteenth,  means  of  correspondence 
were  found  between  the  assembly  and  the  provisionary  mu- 
nicipality of  Paris,  and  it  was  discovered  that  M.  de  Fles- 
seles,  the  mayor  of  Paris,  who  professed  to  be  in  the  inter- 
est of  the  citizens,  was  taking  measures  to  betray  them  into 
the  power  of  Broglio.  The  intercepted  correspondence 
proved , that  the  marshal  intended  to  enter  into  the  city  on 
the  following  evening,  when  the  people  should  be  subdued 
by  excessive  fatigue,  and  be  too  weary  to  resist  the  allure- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 

ment  of  sleep.  Hostilities  were  sure  to  commence 
a few  hours,  and  by  draining  the  plans  of  the  enei 
defeat  might  be  secured. 

The  Bastille  was.  at  once  the  fortress  and  the  pri; 
was  to  be  feared.  It  was  there  that  all  the  satellites 
potism  would  fix  their  head-quarters ; it  was  there  tl 
the  deputies  and  their  constituents  would  be  stowe 
in  caverns  and  in  cells.  There  it  was  that  their  live; 
continue  to  waste  away  by  the  ruffian  arm  of  releni 
ranny,  and  the  only  way  to  divest  the  monster  of  his 
was  to  spoil  him  of  his  refuge  and  his  home.  “ 

Bastille  ! to  the  Bastille  !”  was  echoed  throughout  t 
on  the  morning  of  the  memorable  Fourteenth  o 
1789,  and  an  army  of  forty  thousand  desperadoes  1 
cally  armed  with  offensive  instruments  of  all  sorts 
mingled  with  a few  hundreds  of  soldiers,  set  out 
march.  When  their  leaders  had  put  them  in  motior 
necessary  to  accustom  them  to  some  order,  and  accc 
they  were  wheeled  about  to  attack  the  hospital  of 
valids,  where  a large  magazine  of  arms  was  deposit 
great  resistance  was  attempted,  and  the  glitterin 
served  to  convert  those  raw  recruits  into  the  most  o 
of  soldiers.  From  the  invalids  to  the  Bastille,  th 
length  of  the  city  was  to  be  traversed,  and  the  m 
greatly  increased  by  the  way. 

On  arriving  at  the  fortress,  a deputation  from  t 
visionary  municipality  demanded  admission,  in  the 
the  people.  De  Launey,  the  governor,  was  in  a j 
the  most  awful  that  any  individual  could  have  to 
His  duty  to  his  sovereign  forbade  him  to  yield  to  an 
power,  and  his  duty  to  his  countrymen  forbade  him 
blood  in  any  avoidable  case.  Fie  might  even  be  in 
cret  of  the  court,  and  wish  to  hold  out  till  a reinfo 
might  entirely  disperse  the  assailants ; but,  whether  this 
were  so  or  not,  it  was  no  unreasonable  demand,  that  he 
should  be  allowed  some  time,  before  he  could  decide  upon 
the  proper  course  to  take.  He  demanded  a parley.  “ De- 
liver the  keys!”  was  the  answer  of  the  multitude.  Fie 
could  not  resolve.  A shower  of  stones  and  a fire  of  musket- 
ry might  hasten  his  decision.  The  experiment  was  tried, 
and  the  governor  resolved  to  stand  a siege.  All  the  attempts 
to  effect  a breach  failed  of  success,  and  many  of  them  were 


32 


THE  LIFE  OF 


I 


killed.  At  Inst  a private  soldier  got  over  the  guard-house, 
and  forced  the  first  drawbridge,  by  means  oi  a hatchet, 
while  ethers  broke  open  the  outer  gate  and  entered  the  court. 
These  were  soon  repelled  by  the  garrison,  and  the  ground 
regained.  'The  conflict  became  desperate,  and  the  issue 
doubtful.  The  bodies  of  the  wound  d lay  scattered  on  the 
ground,  and  the  fury  of  the  people  was  increased  even  to 
madness. 

At  this  critical  moment  arrived  two  detachments  of  sol- 
diers, headed  by  two  non  commissioned  officers,  and  these 
were  followed  by  a numerous  train  of  volunteers,  headed 
b\  a citizen,  Hulin,  who  had  prevailed  upon  a number  of 
the  French,  guards  also  to  join  the  people.  An  accession  of 
new  courage  invigorated  the  whole  body.  They  set  fire  to 
~ome  waggons  of  straw,  and  by  their  means  burnt  and  de- 
troved  the  out- works.  Several  pieces  of  cannon  were  now 
Drought  to  play  upon  the  building,  and  the  castle  was  at 
length  taken  by  storm,  after  a few  hours  resistance.  What 
a glorious  triumph  ! how  big  with  event ! When  shall  we 
see  an  end  of  the  blessings  which  it  promises  to  mankind. 
Will  they  be  of  no  longer  duration  than  other  achievements 
of  man  ? Or  shall  we  ever  have  to  say , that  the  conquerors 
cf  the  Bastille  have  spilled  their  blood  in  vain  ? 

Liberty  is  a species  of  divinity  that  we  contemplate  with 
reverence,  and  worship  afar  off ! — Shall  we  now  approach 
her  familiarly,  and  behold  her  benign  influence  constantly 
before  us  ? Let  us,  at  least,  indulge  the  delusive  hope  as 
long  as  we  can.  The  Bastille  is  destroyed  ! The  victors 
are  rummaging  the  cells  ! See  the  poor  emaciated  wretches, 
that  have  been  for  years  entombed  in  its  infernal  dungeons, 
shut  out  from  every  cheering  ray  of  hope,  and  doomed  to 
spend  the  lingering  load  of  life  in  one  eternal  blank ! Be- 
hold the  instruments  of  torture  ! till  this  free  hour,  most 
scrupulously  hidden  from  public  view.  These  are  the  tools 
by  which  a cruel  tyrant  works  his  secret  vengeance — screws 
out  his  wrath  amongst  his  victims’  blood,  and  through  the 
body  finds  a way  to  melt  the  greatest  soul  to  mere  servility. 
Hail  ! dear  assertors  of  your  country’s  rights  ! No  human 
mind  can  look  upon  your  conquest  with  indifference,  and 
he  must  be  grossly  perverted  by  mistaken  theories  who 
does  not  rejoice  at  your  success.  The  power  is  now  in 
your  own  hands ; if  you  will  become  the  supporters  of 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


freedom,  you  must  become  the  ministers  of  justi 
you  cannot  trench  upon  the  freedom  of  another,  e 
mistake,  without  endangering  your  own. 

The  attention  of  all  Europe  had  been  directed 
the  capital  of  France,  and  many  illustrious  strang 
assembled  upon  the  spot,  lest  the  sinister  represent; 
others  should  deprive  them  of  any  incident  of  the  in 
drama  that  was  expected  with  so  much  anxiety, 
much  stronger  were  the  feelings  of  the  people  of 
The  news  of  the  taking  the  Bastille  darted  through 
rapidly  as  the  rays  of  the  sun,  and  one  unbrokei 
declared  the  rapturous  joys  of  the  people. 

Immediately  after  the  taking  of  the  Bastille,  ever 
tator,  as  well  as  every  assailant,  began  his  own  rel 
the  transaction,  and  it  was  reported,  that  M.  de  Laui 
governor,  had  decoyed  a number  of  people  within  th 
under  the  pretence  of  supplying  them  with  arms,  £ 
when  he  had  them  in  his  power,  he  cruelly  put  1 
death.  Of  a man  already  hated,  on  account  of  the  s 
he  held,  no  stronger  pretence  was  asked  for  makini 
signal  example  of  emancipated  vengeance.  There 
reason  to  believe  that  the  report  was  true,  for  if  it  ha 
the  besiegers  would  not  have  suffered  him  to  have  b 
a single  moment  after  they  had  surrounded  him  wi 
pikes  ; they,  however,  not  only  considered  him  as  a 
er,  fairly  within  the  laws  of  war,  but  they  were  proceeding 
with  him  to  the  Hotel  de  la  Ville , to  give  him  up  to  the 
magistrates,  when  the  intoxicating  spirit  of  unrestrained 
power  found  that  human  victims  were  necessary  to  its  con- 
tinuation : and  the  imperial  mob,  in  the  true  character  of  a 
rude  and  ferocious  tyrant,  fell  instantly  upon  their  prisoner, 
and  hacked  him  to  pieces.  M.  de  Losme,  an  inferior  officer, 
and  M.  de  Flesseles,  the  mayor,  shared  the  same  fate ; and, 
having  no  ensigns  of  pillaged  cities,  no  plunder  of  depopu- 
lated towns,  no  such  trophies  of  their  renown  as  high  and 
polished  conquerors  usually  display,  these  uncultivated 
retail  dealers  in  human  blood,  mounted  the  bleeding  heads 
of  the  mayor  and  governor  upon  their  long  pikes,  and 
bore  them  in  savage  procession,  as  emblems  of  their  giddy 
vanity. 


5 


34 


THE  LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  III. 

It  is  a misfortune  peculiar  to  a season  of  public  commo- 
tion that  the  persons  chiefly  concerned,  are  deterred  from 
explaining  their  views  with  a becoming  candor,  owing  to  the 
frequent  changes  of  sentiment,  and  various  instances  of 
treachery  that  happen  at  those  periods  ; and  it  was  the  pe- 
culiar unhappiness  of  Louis  XVI.  that  no  person  avowedly 
his  friend,  would  have  been  suffered  to  attend  him,  and  those 
who  were  suffered,  might,  for  any  thing  he  knew,  be  all 
spies,  placed  there  to  watch  his  indiscretions,  and  even  to 
misconstrue  them  to  his  disadvantage. 

On  the  21st  of  June,  1791,  when  the  commandant  of  the 
castle  of  the  Thuilleries  went  to  the  king’s  apartment,  to 
see  if  his  majesty  was  stirring,  he  was  met  by  one  of  the 
household,  who  informed  him,  that  neither  the  king,  queen, 
dauphin,  nor  the  princess  Elizabeth,  were  to  be  found  ; the 
news  was  generally  known  about  nine  in  the  morning,  and 
Paris  became  in  the  greatest  confusion. 

The  national  assembly  met  early,  and  the  president  com- 
municated the  intelligence,  upon  which  M.  Montmorin,  the 
minister  for  foreign  affairs,  was  ordered  under  arrest,  upon 
suspicion  of  his  having  assisted  the  escape  of  the  family. 

Alarms  were  immediately  spread,  that  the  king  was  gone 
to  put  himself  at  the  head  of  an  army,  to  invade  his  people, 
and  preparations  commenced  for  putting  the  frontiers  in  a 
state  of  defence.  Couriers  were  dispatched  to  all  the  de- 
partments, with  orders  to  arrest  all  persons  who  should  at- 
tempt to  quit  the  kingdom,  and  to  seize  all  property,  of 
whatever  kind,  that  might  be  found  crossing  the  frontiers. 
Very  severe  decrees  were  passed  against  all  persons  who 
had  assisted  in  rescuing  the  king,  and  an  address  was  pre- 
pared, to  assure  the  country  at  large,  that  the  assembly 
would  maintain  their  posts  with  firmness  and  energy. 

Two  days  had  been  spent  in  fruitless  conjecture,  without 
any  discovery  being  made  as  to  the  circumstances  of  the 
departure,  or  the  road  the  family  had  taken,  when  a mes- 
senger arrived  at  the  assembly,  with  tidings  that  the  royal 
family  had  been  arrested  at  Varennes,  and  were  detained 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


in  custody  there,  till  the  orders  of  the  representative  s of 
people  should  be  known. 

The  re-possession  of  their  humbled  captives  was 
triumphant  affair,  that  the  representatives  of  th< 
thought  it  worth  while  to  have  the  chief  instrume 
brought  before  them,  in  full  procession,  by  a depu 
the  municipality  of  Paris.  The  witness  began  hi 
by  stating,  that  his  name  was  Drouet,  that  he  had  1 
been  a dragoon  in  the  regiment  of  Conde,  but  was 
postmaster  of  St.  Menehoud. 

On  the  21st  of  June,  at  half  past  seven  in  the  i 
two  carriages,  and  eleven  horses,  stopped  to  bai 
house.  He  thought  he  recognized  the  queen,  ai 
ceiving  a man  at  the  back  part  of  the  carriage,  his  ( 
had  led  him  to  examine  him  closely,  when  the  rese 
of  the  countenance,  with  the  effigy  of  the  king  on  ; 
nat  of  fifty  livres,  was  so  apparent,  that  he  had  no  d 

These  carriages  were  conducted  by  a detachmen 
goons,  which  succeeded  a detachment  of  hussars, 
pretence  of  protecting  treasure.  The  escort  exc 
particular  suspicion,  but  being  alone,  and  therefore 
to  excite  a premature  alarm,  he  suffered  the  carr 
depart,  and  then,  hastening  to  the  next  stage  by 
road,  arrived  before  them,  and  had  the  national  gu 
ed  out,  to  stop  their  carriages. 

Three  commissioners  were  appointed  to  escort  1 
oners  to  Paris,  and  among  the  few  creditable  things  that  the 
assembly  did,  in  the  course  of  their  session,  it  ought  not  to 
be  forgotten,  that  they  took  every  proper  precaution  upon 
this  occasion  to  prevent  their  majesties  being  exposed  to  the 
brutal  attacks  of  the  cowardly  Parisians. 

When  measures  had  been  adopted  for  guarding  the  palace 
with  greater  strictness,  a commission  was  appointed  to  ex- 
amine the  royal  fugitives,  as  to  the  motives  of  their  flight ; 
upon  which  the  king  declared,  that  he  was  very  far  from 
desiring  to  conceal  them. 

“ My  reasons  for  undertaking  the  journey,”  said  the  king, 
“ arose  from  the  outrages  to  which  I and  my  family  have 
been  constantly  exposed,  not  only  on  the  18th  of  April,  but 
subsequent  to  that  period,  which  led  me  to  judge,  that  I 
could  not  with  safety  continue  in  Paris,  where  every  branch 
of  my  house,  but  particularly  the  queen,  Was  daily  insulted 


36 


THE  LIFE  OF 


7:,. 


by  the  most  indecent  and  inflammatory  writings,  the  authors 
of  which  were  wholly  unpunished.  I chose  to  quit  it  at 
midnight,  to  avoid  interruption,  but  I had  no  intention  of 
passing  the  frontiers.  I had  chosen  to  reside  a short  time 
at  Montmedy,  because,  being  a fortified  place,  I could 
have  been  visited  by  my  family  without  molestation.  On 
the  day  of  my  departure  I addressed  a protestation  to  the 
assembly ; beside  the  complaints  therein  I have  made  no 
others,  and  these  are  not  against  the  principles  of  the  con- 
stitution, but  upon  the  deficiency  of  that  freedom  which  I 
ought  to  enjoy  ; and  upon  the  administrative  powers  being 
too  weak.  I complain  that  the  internal  administration  of 
the  departments  is  embarrassed  by  wheels  which  obstruct 
the  motion  of  the  machine,  and  the  superintendence  of 
ministers  is  reduced  to  nothing.  Defective  as  I consider 
his  constitution,  I certainly  did  not  conceive,  while  I con- 
tinued at  Paris,  that  the  public  opinion  could  be  greatly  in 
its  favour,  but  on  the  road,  and  during  my  journey,  I be- 
came sensible  that  I was  mistaken,  and  in  consequence  of 
my  inquiries,  and  the  elucidation  resulting  from  them,  con- 
viction has  flashed  upon  my  mind,  that  the  people  approve 
it  decidedly  ; and  no  other  motive  do  I require,  to  induce 
me  willingly  to  sacrifice  all  my  personal  interest  to  the  wel- 
fare of  my  people,  and  to  forget  all  the  unpleasant  circum- 
stances that  I have  experienced  to  secure  the  peace  and 
happiness  of  the  nation.5’ 

The  vindication  of  the  queen  was  simple  and  natural ; 
she  declared,  that  “ as  the  king  had  determined  to  remove 
himself  and  family,  it  was  impossible  that  she  could  admit 
the  thought  of  separating  from  him  and  her  children,”  and 
both  added  to  their  declaration,  that  their  attendants  were 
“ ignorant  of  their  destination,  till  they  received  their  orders 
to  depart.” 

When  the  assembly  had  completed  the  constitution,  it 
was  presented  to  the  king,  for  his  acceptance,  and  though 
a simple  aye  or  no  would  have  been  a sufficient  answer 
upon  the  occasion,  the  king  not  only  accepted  it,  as  it  stood, 
but  entered  into  the  merits  of  it  as  a man  of  business,  who 
did  not  merely  put  his  signature  to  a scroll  that  he  held  in 
contempt,  but  who  pointed  out  deficiencies,  because  he  was 
desirous  of  seeing  those  parts  which  he  approved  accompa- 
nied by  others  that  should  be  worthy  of  them. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


Nothing  could  have  been  more  seasonable  and  a 
ate  than  the  address  delivered  by  the  king,  and  it 
ceived  by  the  assembly,  as  if  that  body  had  recc 
proper  sense  of  the  decorum  necessary  to  be  obsc 
wards  the  chief  magistrate  of  a great  people.  The 
was  followed  by  the  most  lively  and  enthusiastic 
and  the  shouts  of  “ long  live  the  king,”  were  as  gei 
as  loud  as  in  the  most  splendid  times  of  the  mon 
Scarcely  had  the  fit  of  intoxication  ceased,  when  th 
bly  decreed,  on  the  motion  of  M.  la  Fayette,  that 
sons  under  arrest  should  be  immediately  released- 
prosecutions  carried  on  against  persons  for  acts  cc 
in  consequence  of  the  revolution,  should  be  imr 
superseded — that  passports  should  be  no  longer  i 
to  enable  French  citizens  to  enter  or  go  out  of  tl 
dom,  and  that  a deputation  of  sixty  members  she 
upon  the  king  with  the  decree,  and  express  the  1 
which  his  acceptance  of  the  constitution  had  diffus 
As  a natural  consequence  of  those  conciliatory  i 
assembly  dispatched  an  embassy  to  the  emigrant 
with  an  invitation  to  return  to  their  country,  wl 
should  freely  enjoy  all  the  blessings  of  the  constitu 
to  assure  them,  that  they  should  be  protected  froi 
outrage  by  the  legislative  body.  Happy  would  it  have 
been  for  the  world,  if  those  devotees  of  royal  authority  had 
possessed  loyalty  enough  to  have  obeyed  the  example  of 
the  august  head  of  their  house  ; but,  unhappily,  the  mania 
of  turbulence  and  faction  had  seized  as  firmly  hold  of  them 
as  it  had  of  the  most  frantic  Jacobins,  and  therefore,  in  the 
same  spirit,  if  not  in  the  exact  words  of  the  cut-throats 
of  the  Palais-royal , they  resolved  to  submit  to  no  order, 
and  to  obey  no  law,  but — their  own  will.  It  is  even 
said,  that  their  hauteur  was  so  excessive  and  unwarrantable, 
that  they  imprisoned  the  messenger,  M.  Duveyrier,  for  pre- 
suming to  approach  them  with  the  offer — an  arrogant  and 
unnecessary  abuse  of  power,  which  not  only  degraded  them 
to  a level  with  the  vindictive  rabble  of  Paris,  but  served  to 
rekindle  the  expiring  flames  of  resentment,  which  after- 
wards burst  forth  with  greater  violence  than  ever. 

The  king  had  at  this  time  certainly  gained  much  popu- 
larity, and  the  public  fury  had  greatly  abated  ; for  upon 
his  entering  the  hali,  at  the  dissolution  of  the  assembly,  the 


33 


THE  LIFE  OF 


members  ordered  that  no  chair  should  be  seated  by  his,  ex- 
cept that  of  their  president,  and  they  even  condescended  to 
stand  and  remain  uncovered,  while  his  majesty  delivered  his 
speech,  contrary  to  their  rude  practices  upon  former  occa- 
sions. Nor  was  the  assembly  singular  in  these  civilities, 
for  their  majesties  not  only  ventured  abroad  without  meet- 
ing with  insult,  but  were  greeted  by  various  testimonies  of 
returning  loyalty  on  these  occasions. 

But  these  prognostics  afforded  .very  little  hope,  when  the 
enlightened  and  intelligent  part  of  the  world  saw  what  de- 
scription of  men  the  new  assembly  was  composed  of.  The 
number  of  members  for  the  eighty-three  departments,  in- 
to which  France  was  then  divided,  was  745,  and  of  this 
number  only  forty-eight  of  them  possessed  incomes,  exceed- 
'ng  one  hundred  pounds  per  annum  ; the  respectable  part 
f the  country  having  avoided  a situation,  in  which  they 
ould  hardly  subdue  the  vindictive  spirit  of  one  party,  with- 
out inclining  the  balance  in  favour  of  another  equally  re- 
vengeful. Thus  the  legislative  body  was  composed  of 
pamphleteers,  lawyers,  adventurers,  and  vagabonds,  who 
very  soon  proved  that  they  had  no  objection  to  make  them- 
selves better  known,  by  surpassing  their  predecessors  in  the 
confusion  that  they  occasioned. 

The  terrible  20th  of  June  at  length  arrived,  and  some  of 
the  members  of  the  municipalit}1",  who  were  not  corrupted, 
apprised  the  assembly,  that  the  populace  were  collecting 
with  such  evident  designs  of  proceeding  to  some  outrage 
of  the  public  peace,  that  they  thought  nothing  short  of  some 
vigorous  interference  of  the  legislature  could  avert  the  most 
imminent  danger.  The  friends  of  moderation  moved,  that 
a decree  should  be  passed,  to  forbid  the  assembling  of  arm- 
ed bodies  of  people,  and  to  prevent  those  cohorts  from 
surrounding  either  the  palace  or  the  assembly,  but  this  was 
scouted  by  the  majority,  as  trenching  upon  the  majesty  of 
the  people  ; and  Santerre,  accompanied  by  Legendre,  a 
butcher,  led  their  myrmidons  through  the  city,  and,  un- 
der pretence  of  going  to  the  king  with  a petition,  collected 
ail  the  elements  of  crime  and  confusion  in  one  mass,  with  a 
design  to  overwhelm  the  unfortunate  monarch  and  his  fam- 
ily in  irretrievable  ruin. 

That  the  evils  to  be  dreaded  from  within  were  greater  than 
those  from  without,  admitted  of  no  question,  and  all  those 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


evils  might  be  averted,  if  an  happy  union  could  be 
amongst  the  contending  parties.  Under  this  imp 
member  arose  in  the  assembly,  on  the  7th  of  July, 
powerful  appeal  to  the  good  sense  of  the  whole  bo 
jured  them  to  sacrifice  their  own  particular  views,  a. 
come  friends  for  the  sake  of  their  country — “ Let  a 
said  he,  “ who  discover  faults  in  the  constitution,  t 
spirit  of  accommodation  to  each  other,  and  let  us 
each  other,  that  we  will  unite  to  maintain  it  as 
Scarcely  were  the  last  words  pronounced,  when 
sides  (republicans  and  constitutionalists)  arose,  th 
hats  up,  shouted  applauses  from  every  quarter, 
approaching  his  opponent,  the  two  sides  embra 
swore  immortal  union,  taking  their  seats  promise! 
a sign  of  endless  harmony  ! 

On  the  return  of  the  deputation,  who  had  wait* 
king,  the  bishop  of  Lyons  reported,  that  his  maje 
hearing  the  extract  of  the  minutes  read,  answered 
was  impossible  for  him  to  hear  news  more  dear  to 
and  that  he  yielded  to  his  urgent  desire  of  coming 
sembly,  to  testify  all  the  joy  with  which  this  uni< 
spired  him.” 

The  king  immediately  entered  the  hall,  amidst 
acclamations  of  “ Long  live  the  king  ! — Long  live 
and  from  the  overflowings  of  his  heart,  declared 
dent  hope,  that  the  result  of  this  union  would  enab 
to  survive  the  dangers  which  threatened  her,  to 
assembly  replied  by  a suitable  address,  in  which  i 
ed  that  it  “ already  saw  in  the  candor  of  his  proceedings,  the 
omens  of  success .”  The  plaudits  of  the  galleries  were 

equally  loud  with  those  of  the  assembly  ; and,  were  it  not 
for  the  many  incredible  occurrences  that  have  astonished 
all  mankind,  during  this  revolution,  it  would  scarcely  be  be- 
lieved, that  only  a single  Sabbath  had  passed  over,  when 
these  very  people,  assailed  this  very  king,  with  the  heaviest 
curses  and  accusations  that  violence  and  bitterness  could 
invent. 

Dissipation  and  idleness  had  long  since  been  so  prevalent, 
that  the  number  of  debtors  and  poor  was  vastly  increased,  and 
many  thousands  of  persons,  who  were  not  originally  cor- 
rupt, became  so,  in  the  unprincipled  hope  of  being  able  to 
destroy  their  landlords  and  creditors,  with  the  overthrow  of 


40 


THE  LIFE  OF 


royalty.  The  practice  of  wounding  the  king’s  feelings 
was  now  resorted  to  in  every  possible  shape,  and  as  the  late 
triumph  of  the  mayor  afforded  a most  abundant  opportuni- 
ty, the  mob  took  every  means  of  insulting  the  king,  and  his 
friends,  with  shouts  of  “ Long  live  Petion  ! — Down  with 
royalty,”  &c. 

All  business,  but  that  of  treason,  ceased  in  Paris  from  the 
3d  of  August ; and  the  leaders  of  the  national  assembly 
were  employed  in  passing  such  decrees  as  should  favour 
the  insurgents : patroles  of  rebels  were  also  placed,  by 

Petion  and  Santerre,  at  the  outlets  of  the  city,  to  prevent 
the  possibility  of  the  king’s  escape.  Preparations  being 
made  for  carrying  the  decree  into  execution,  on  the  day  be- 
fore the  assembly  had  resolved  to  pass  it,  the  palace  was 
ttacked  on  the  10th  of  August.  As  many  of  the  leading 
aembers  of  the  assembly  were  desirous  of  aiding  in  the 
...ssault,  who  were  at  the  same  time  desirous  of  being  con- 
cealed, it  was  determined  that  the  riot  should  not  commence 
till  after  dark  : it  was,  therefore,  not  till  eleven  o’clock  that 
Danton  cabled,  “ To  arms  ! to  arms  !”  and  all  the  bells 
were  rung,  to  proclaim  the  city  in  a state  of  insurrection. 

The  conquest  of  the  palace  was  not  effected  so  soon  as  it 
had  been  on  the  20th  of  June  ; for  though  the  attack  com- 
menced at  one  in  the  morning,  it  was  nine  o’clock  before 
the  outer  gates  were  forced.  There  had  been  some  prepa- 
rations made  for  resistance,  but,  like  all  the  efforts  of  this 
unfortunate  prince,  it  was  rather  an  attempt  at  resolution 
than  resolution  itself.  Beside  part  of  the  Swiss  guards,  and 
a few  companies  of  the  national  grenadiers,  who  were  re- 
solved to  defend  the  constitution,  there  was  a considerable 
body  of  royalists,  who  had  entered  with  a resolution  to  sub- 
due tire  traitors  or  perish  in  the  attempt,  the  whole  together 
amounting  to  near  three  thousand  armed  men.  Such  a 
body,  headed  by  a bold  and  intrepid  chief,  would  have  been 
more  than  sufficient  to  have  secured  a victory,  if  they  had 
attacked  the  insurgents,  instead  of  remaining  cooped  up  in 
the  palace,  and  acting  upon  the  defensive. 

When  the  assailants  had  forced  the  outer  gates  they  were 
met  by  the  king’s  guards,  who,  by  a well  directed  fire, 
drove  them  back,  and  obliged  them  to  leave  four  pieces  of 
cannon  behind  them.  The  Swiss  now  formed  in  the  great 
court  in  order  of  battle,  whilst  the  cannon  playing  upon  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


palace,  had  already  pierced  the  roof ; the  bodies  of 
were  strewed  on  every  side,  and  the  folly  of  resist;  . oe- 
came  evident  every  moment  ; for,  in  the  multitud 
visers,  no  one  had  the  command.  The  defender 
palace  in  a few  minutes  became  a disorderly  crow 
no  advantage  over  their  adversaries,  and  greatly  in 
them  in  number.  They  failed,  and  they  fell — not 
of  bravery,  but  for  want  of  a commander ; they  we 
powered  by  numbers,  and  the  triumphant  barbarian 
ed  the  long  looked-for  sport  of  hacking  them  to  pie 
dragging  their  mangled  carcases  in  their  horrible  prot 
All  the  Swiss  that  the  mob  could  find  they  most  it: 
ly  put  to  death  in  cold  blood,  and  exhibited  their 
at  the  end  of  their  pikes  ! Of  both  parties  about  thr 
sand  persons  lost  their  lives  in  this  attack  ; and  the 
would  have  been  much  greater,  but  that  a part  of  tb 
had  gone  to  escort  the  royal  family  to  the  assembly 
When  the  general  supineness  of  Louis  XVI.  is 
ered,  it  wall  excite  surprise  that  any  idea  should  hi 
at  all  entertained  of  making  a defence  ; and  it  is  e: 
probable  that  the  measure  was  rather  pressed  upon 
the  solicitude  of  his  friends  than  chosen  by  hims 
he  seems  invariably  to  have  had  such  an  aversioi 
shedding  of  blood,  that  he  exposed  himself  to  the  r 
warrantable  treatment,  simply  beacuse  the  offenders 
ted  upon  his  forbearance.  The  danger  was  now  < 
greater  and  more  pressing  than  ever,  this  all  his  frie 
all  his  family  knew  ; and  it  is  very  surprising  that  he 
after  the  length  that  the  assembly  had  gone,  did  nc 
see,  that  he  must  either  be  driven  from  his  throne  or  fig 
fence  of  it.  Yet  he  seems  to  have  had  no  such  view  of  the 
subject ; for,  after  the  palace  was  attacked,  and  he  was  ac- 
companied by  the  queen,  and  the  princess  his  sister,  in  the 
midst  of  their  brave  defenders  ; after  he  had  heard  the  terri- 
ble howlings  of  a thousand  tongues  bellow  out  the  cries  of 
“ deposition  ! and  death  /”  after  the  nobles  and  guards  had 
assurtd  him  of  victory,  and  the  queen  had  resolved  to  die 
by  his  side  ; he  took  the  unaccountable  and  fatal  resolution, 
of  going  to  throw  himself,  with  his  family,  into  the  arms 
of  the  national  assembly,  lest  he  should  be  charged  with 
violating  the  constitution  ; and,  before  he  quitted  the  pal- 
ace, gave  strict  orders  not  to  fire  upon  the  people  ! 

6 


42 


THE  LIFE  OF 


It  would,  perhaps,  be  vain  and  futile  to  attempt  reconci- 
ling this  conduct  with  any  principle  of  human  action  ; yet, 
as  much  censure  has  been  directed  against  this  unfortunate 
step,  it  will  be  doing  no  more  than  justice  to  recollect  what 
was  the  precise  situation  of  the  king,  at  the  moment  in 
which  he  took  that  resolution.  M.  Mandat,  the  comman- 
dant of  the  national  guards,  was  supposed  to  be  one  of  the 
most  strenuous  supporters  of  the  constitution ; he  had 
promised  to  take  such  measures  as  should  greatly  retard  the 
operations  of  the  insurgents,  by  posting  troops  at  different 
avenues  of  the  city  ; he  had  also  pledged  himself  for  the 
co-operation  of  the  municipality  ; he  was  also  to  take  the 
command  of  the  palace,  and  upon  his  arrangements  much 
was  to  depend  : the  king  reckoned  much  upon  him,  but  he 
■did  not  appear  at  his  post.  The  king  knew  nothing  of  the 
change  of  the  municipality  and  as  little  of  the  catastrophe 
of  the  commandant.  He  knew  that  he  had  been  often  de- 
ceived and  betrayed,  and,  very  lately  by  the  whole  assem- 
bly : he  knew  that  he  could  find  very  few  persons  to  be  trust- 
ed, and  those  alone  whom  he  did  trust  could  become  trai- 
tors ; might  not  then  the  truant  commander  have  been  de- 
ceiving him  to  the  last  moment : and  was  it  not  now  a meas- 
ure of  policy  to  discredit  his  whole  story,  by  adopting  a 
conduct  directly  opposite  to  that  which  he  had  said  would 
take  place  ? 

Such,  or  some  such  motives,  may  have  occasioned  the 
king’s  determination  ; but,  if  it  should  not  be  admitted  that 
it  was  guided  by  any  such  motive,  there  is  still  much  ground 
to  suspend  a censorious  judgment.  He  had  been  humbled 
so  rapidly  and  so  excessively,  that  his  train  of  reasoning  must 
have  been  very  different  from  that  of  his  cotemporaries  ; — 
it  is;  not  every  person  who  knows  what  he  would  do  in  or- 
dinary circumstances,  who  is  capable  of  judging  what  he 
would  do  in  extraordinary  cases  ; and  the  situation  of  Louis 
at  the  moment  we  are  speaking  of,  left  every  other  extraor- 
dinary case  so  far  behind,  that  if  a censure  should  not  be 
passed  upon  his  conduct  till  it  comes  from  a person  qualifi- 
ed to  judge,  it  is  very  likely  that  he  will  not  suffer  the  small- 
est harshness  from  the  present  generation. 

A combination  of  unexampled  events  had  placed  him 
now  in  a situation  the  most  distressing  that  can  be  concei- 
ved. The  members  of  the  assembly  to  which  he  had  re- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


43 


treated,  thought  no  business  of  so  much  urgency  as  for- 
mally passing  the  decree  of  deposition  ; but  these  political 
pharisees  could  not  proceed  to  any  business  in  the  king’s 
presence,  because  it  was  contrary  to  the  constitution ; this 
afforded  a pretence  for  forcing  the  royal  family  into  a little 
disagreeable  corner,  where  the  secretaries  kept  their  books, 
which  deprived  them  of  the  poor  consolation  of  exchanging 
their  thoughts,  and  subjected  them  to  the  cruel  espionage 
of  a prison,  while  it  was  yet  pretended  that  their  persons 
were  inviolable. 

Having  thus  inflicted  fourteen  hours  of  mortification  and 
pain  upon  their  helpless  captives,  the  vulgar  pride  of  those 
little- minded  men  became  satiated  and  appalled  with  that 
mode  of  exercising  their  tyranny,  and,  therefore,  they  de- 
creed that  the  executive  power  should  be  withdrawn  from 
the  king,  and  that  he  and  his  family  should  be  confined  close 
prisoners  in  the  Temple.  To  increase  their  triumph,  and 
aggravate  the  pain  of  the  family,  orders  were  given  that  the 
traitor  Petion  should  go,  in  the  same  carriage,  to  carry  them 
to  prison  ; and  he  not  only  took  occasion  to  insult  them  by 
his  advice  on  their  journey,  but  even  stopped  the  carriage 
occasionally  to  let  them  hear  the  speeches  of  the  infamous 
orators  who  were  irritating  the  people  against  them  by  their 
foul  calumnies. 

The  least  reflection  upon  the  conduct  of  the  assembly 
would  be  a waste  of  time,  its  duplicity  and  baseness  are  ev- 
ident to  the  most  inattentive  reader  ; and,  from  what  has 
been  already  seen,  it  will  excite  no  surprise,  that,  after  they 
had  removed  the  king  entirely  out  of  their  vVay,  they  crowned 
their  deceitful  and  treacherous  system  by  a long  series  of  cru- 
elties, the  most  refined  and  atrocious  that  demons  could  have 
devised.  Not  only  were  the  ministers  of  the  king,  but  the 
clergy,  the  ladies  of  the  household,  the  pensioners  of  the 
family,  and  many  thousands  of  persons,  suspected  of  being 
aristocrats,  seized,  upon  the  accusations  of  the  hired  accom- 
plices of  the  members,  and  barbarously  torn  to  pieces  by 
marauding  assassins,  set  in  motion  by  themselves.  They 
were  too  cowardly  to  call  the  obnoxious  persons  before  them 
and  take  upon  themselves  the  odium  of  passing  sentence 
of  death  upon  them  for  mere  difference  of  political  opin- 
ion, and  therefore  they  gave  latitude  to  a licentious  and  bru- 
tal people,  whom  they  knew  would  execute  their  execra- 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ose,  without  their  being  obliged  to  be  the  immedi- 
n etrators  of'  the  crime. 

the  revolution  had  taken  a turn  which  afflicted  the 
hearts  ; id  threatened  to  disappoint  the  hopes  of  all  good 
)(  Die  assembly,  was,  however,  about  to  dissolve  ; — 
i'  i compliance  with  a general  demand,  a national  con- 
was  to  meet  on  the  20th  of  September,  to  consider 
stion  of  formally  constituting  a republic,  and  some 
ion  remained  in  the  consideration,  that  this  assent- 
b:  ;ast  would  not  long  retain  the  power  of  doing  mis’ 


CHAPTER  IV. 

ut  the  time  that  the  notables  met,  in  the  year  1787, 
contents  in  Paris  were  considerable,  and  they  increas- 
1 rapidity  until  the  year  1789,  when  the  taking  of 
stilie  bv  the  Parisians  commenced  the  revolution. 
ie  of  those  who  had  early  and  eagerly  crowded  to 
nch  capital,  expected  to  derive  various  advantages 
n open  rupture  with  the  court  ; among  them  was 
eon  Buonaparte  : he  had  left  the  regiment  of  artillery 
ter  the  death  of  his  patron,  count  Marbceuf,  and  re- 
:o  his  paternal  home  in  Corsica  ; he  there  found 
tlier  a widow,  in  very  indigent  circumstances,  and 
several  children  dependent  on  her  exertions  for 
tpport  : Napoleon,  it  is  probable,  did  not  add  to  her 
brances,  though  it  is  not  very  likely  that  he  contri- 
bi  : ; to  her  relief.  Neither  the  education  which  fits  a man 
iOt  d ooldier,  nor  the  manners  of  the  army,  are  calculated 
to  be  serviceable  to  him  in  any  employment  of  a rustic  na- 
ture, or  of  any  other  kind  that  the  inconsiderable  island  of 
Corsica  could  offer. 

Whilst  Buonaparte  remained  with  his  mother  he  con- 
tiued  his  application  to  study  ; but  though  he  returned  to 
his  books  with  increased  ardour,  it  was  chiefly  because  the 
experience  he  had  had  in  his  military  capacity  had  confirm- 
ed his  attachment  to  his  profession  ; he  did  not  labour  here 
with  that  unremitting  attention  that  he  had  done  in  his  novi- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


ciate  at  the  military  school  at  Brienne.  Notwith 

the  exercise  and  amusements,  in  which  he  afterwai 

an  active  part,  his  constitution  had  suffered  much  fi  ;or  >r 

inaction  during  the  first  years  he  was  at  school  : 

that  his  form  was  calculated  to  resist  fatigue  and  [ 

much  strength,  but  he  had  always  the  appearance 

and  delicate  health  ; his  despondency  of  promotioi 

king’s  army  heightened  the  melancholy  of  his  ap; 

but  the  decisiveness  of  his  character  imparted  a ste 

his  countenance  that  was  less  agreeable  than  rema 

a very  young  man. 

From  the  principles  which  Buonaparte  had  ear 
ed,  it  was  natural  to  believe  that  he  should  declare 
the  king.  Always  unalterable  in  his  attachment  to 
glory,  he  did  not  allow  so  favourable  an  opportuni 
popular  discontents  at  Paris  afforded  him,  of  si 
himself,  at  least  by  his  decision,  in  favor  of  some  c 
A mind  like  his  forces  itself  into  notice  when  place 
ficult  situations.  In  that  moment,  when  the  timid 
undecided  are  lost  by  their  own  weakness,  a strc 
feels  its  own  force,  separates  itself  from  the  ere 
stands  undauntedly  the  opponent  and  the  mark  of 
ject  it  has  singled  out  for  destruction.  The  dang 
early  declaration,  in  the  beginning  of  the  disturban 
naparte  disdained  to  shun  : he  seized  with  the  aj 
of  enthusiasm,  the  sense  of  that  decree  which  ackn< 
no  distinction  of  rank,  although  some  persons  miy 
then  rationally  conjectured  that  such  an  avowal  was  likely 
to  injure  his  future  fortune. 

It  is  not  easy  to  believe  that,  with  these  sentiments,  Buo- 
naparte could  consider  Louis  XVI.  as  the  father  of  his  peo- 
ple, and  especially  when  he  knew  that  the  throne  of  that 
unhappy  prince  was  surrounded  by  flatterers,  who  w;ere  in- 
terested in  supporting  the  most  flagrant  abuses — that  royal 
favour  had  become  in  France  the  only  road  which  conduct- 
ed to  high  military  preferment,  and  that  weak  and  corrupt 
ministers  and  an  effeminate  court,  opposed  an  insurmount- 
able barrier  to  genuine  merit  when  it  ventured  to  approach 
the  throne  : he  had,  therefore,  to  expect,  in  common  with 
every  other  subaltern  officer,  who  did  not  possess  influence 
at  court,  or  who  had  not  fortune  ta  purchase  influence,  very 
little  regard  or  distinction.  A long  and  faithful  service  was 


rr 


THE  LIFE  OF 


often  rewarded  with  a cross  of  St.  Louis ; a paltry  and  emp- 
ty honour,  which  decked  indiscriminately  a faithful  defender 
of  the  state,  or  the  parasite  of  a needy  courtier. 

Buonaparte  was  not  singular  in  his  attachment  to  the 
popular  cause  from  these  motives,  a vast  number  were  exci- 
ted to  a determination  to  desert  the  monarch  by  the  same 
or  similar  circumstances : it  was  not,  however,  these  con- 
A siderations  merely  that  induced  others  to  adhere  to  the  ri* 
sing  opposition,  and  to  increase  its  numbers  by  their  exam- 
ple and  their  influence.  Some  were  actuated  by  motives 
more  sinister  even  than  the  disappointment  of  sanguine  ex- 
Bh  pectations,  which  has  been  urged  to  extenuate  their  con- 
wL  duct.  They  expected  to  derive  particular  advantages  if  a 
[ new  order  of  public  affairs  were  obtained,  and  they  there- 
■kfore  willingly  lent  their  aid  to  effect  that  for  their  private  in- 
terests, which  they  never  would  have  attempted  from  mo- 
tivcs  of  general  good  and  real  patriotism.  Is  it  to  be  sup- 
Hr  posed  that  those  of  the  French  officers  who  deserted  the 
king  for  the  sovereign  people,  had  more  respect  for  the  peo- 
ple or  their  cause,  than  they  had  for  the  monarch  or  his  gov- 
ernment ? 

Buonaparte  remained  at  Paris  until  the  year  1790,  when 
the  discontents  of  the  Corsicans  occasioned  an  organization 
of  troops  in  that  island,  and  he  was  appointed  to  the  com- 
mand of  a battalion  of  national  guards  at  Ajaccio,  his  na- 
tive town  ; there  was  little  service,  however,  required  of 
these  levies,  and  Buonaparte  had  ample  leisure  to  continue 
his  military  studies.  The  war  which  ensued  between 
France  and  the  combined  powers  opened  a wide  field  for 
his  observations  ; the  operations  of  the  contending  armies, 
which  were  so  admirably  detailed  at  that  period,  afforded 
him  an  opportunity,  which  his  advantageous  situation  ena- 
bled him  to  improve,  of  examining,  correcting,  and  ma- 
turing that  system  of  warfare  that  has  since,  by  its  activity 
and  resources,  assisted  in  subjugating  some  of  the  fairest 
provinces  of  Europe. 

The  assembly  had  failed  in  an  attempt  to  arrest  La  Fay- 
ette : that  general  imprisoned  the  commissioners  on  their 
arrival  at  Sedan;  and,  on  the  night  of  the  18th  of  August, 
he  determined  on  leaving  the  army  he  commanded,  and 
which  had  already  manifested  their  discontent  of  his  con- 
duct. Before  the  dawn  of  morning  he  mounted  his  horse. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


47 


and,  With  seventeen  companions,  quitted  the  French  terri- 
tory, without  having  attempted  to  seduce'  a single  battalion 
to  desert.  They  hoped  to  reach  some  distant  country,  where 
they  might  await  better  days,  in  which  their  virtues  and 
their  patriotism  might  be  useful.* 

As  soon  as  the  assembly  were  informed  of  La  Fayette’s 
escape,  they  nominated  Dumourier  commander  in  chief. 
This  extraordinary  man  had  been  minister  at  war,  and  then 
appeared  very  friendly  disposed  towards  the  king;  but,  after 
the  defection  of  La  Fayette,  he  affected  counter-revolution- 
ary sentiments,  and  thus  obtained  the  confidence  of  the 
republicans  : marshal  Luckner  also  attached  himself  to  the 
rising  party,  as  well  as  Biron,  Montesqieu,  Kellerman,  and 
Custine.  Commissioners  were  deputed  to  ascertain  the 
sentiments  of  all  the  generals,  and  their  report  was  as  suc- 
cessful as  the  assembly  could  wish.  The  appointment  of 
municipal  officers,  to  be  with  the  armies  and  in  the  garrisoned 
towns,  and  to  assist  at  the  councils  of  war,  was  a measure 

* They  had  not,  however,  travelled  many  miles  before  they  were  arrested  by  an 
Austrian  patrole,  and  conducted  to  Luxembourg ; they  were  afterwards  separately 
imprisoned  at  Wesel.  La  Fayette  here  fell  sick  with  mortification,  and  his  life  was 
despaired  of.  The  king  of  Prussia  intimated  to  him,  that  his  situation  would  be  ame- 
liorated if  he  would  draw  up  plans  against  France.  The  hero  spurned  the  proposal 
with  scorn ; his  rigours  were  increased  ; himself  and  his  companions  were  conveyed, 
in  a waggon,  to  Magdebourg,  and  they  remained  there  during  a whole  year,  in  a dark 
and  humid  vault,  strongly  barricadoed.  La  Fayrette,  and  some  others,  were  removed 
to  Neiss,  to  be  delivered  up  to  Austria,  and  were,  soon  after,  immured,  in  separate 
dungeons,  at  Olmutz.  By  the  management  of  two  American  gentlemen,  La  Fayette 
escaped,  but  was  retaken. 

His  captivity  now  became  more  rigorous,  and  malady  increased  with  great  violence. 
Neither  himself,  nor  any  of  his  fellow-prisoners,  had  received  any  information  during 
their  confinement  respecting  their  families;  Madame  La  Fayette  was  imprisoned  at 
Paris,  and  hourly  expected  to  be  led  to  the  national  axe  Robespierre  fell,  her  life 
was  preserved,  and,  sometime  afterwards,  she  was  released.  At  the  end  of  1795  she 
had  sufficiently  recruited  her  strength  to  attempt  the  execution  of  a project,  she  had 
secretly  meditated.  She  arrived  at  Vienna,  with  her  two  daughters,  and  obtained  an. 
audience  of  the  emperor,  who  would  only  allow  her  to  share  the  horrors  of  her  hus- 
band’s prison.  She  entered  the  fortress  of  Olmutz,  with  her  two  iovely  daughters, 
where  they  were  treated  with  the  greatest  inhumanity.  Her  health  became,  at  length, 
so  much  injured,  that  she  requested  permission  to  visit  Vienna  for  a w eek,  to  breathe 
the  fresh  air,  and  consult  a physician  ; in  two  months  she  was  informed  that  this  per- 
mission was  allowed  her,  on  condition  that  her  daughters  were  confined  in  an  apartment 
by  themselves,  and  that  she  herself  should  never  enter  the  prison  again.  She  instantly 
wrote  a most  courageous  refusal  of  this  indulgence,  and  which  (in  reference  to  her 
husband’s  imprisonment)  concludes  thus  : “Whatever,  then,  may  be  the  state  of  my 
own  health,  and  the  inconveniency  attending  the  stay  of  my  daughters  in  this  place, 
we  will  most  gratefully  take  advantage  of  the  goodness  his  imperial  majesty  has  ex- 
pressed towards  us,  by  the  permission  to  share  in  all  the  miseries  of  this  captivity.” 
Never  afterwards  did  the  unhappy  sufferers  complain,  although  they  continued  to  in- 
hale an  air  so  impregnated  and  infected  by  a common  sewer,  and  the  privies  under 
La  Fayette’s  window,  that  the  soldiers  were  accustomed  to  apply  their  hands  to  their 
noses  on  opening  the  door.  They  were  not  liberated  until  Buonaparte  interfered  on 
their  behalf  in  1797.  In  September  they  quitted  their  dungeons:  La  Fayette,  with 
his  family,  retired  to  Hamburgh,  and  in  the  beginning  of  1800  Buonaparte  allowed 
them  to  return  to  France. 


48 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fraught  with  policy,  and  served  the  assembly  most  essen- 
tially, when  it  stood  in  the  greatest  need  of  accurate  infor- 
mation respecting  the  state  of  the  troops,  their  operations, 
and  the  conduct  of  the  officers  who  had  the  chief  commands. 

In  the  prison  of  La  Force  were  murdered  the  ladies  of 
the  court,  who  had  been  arrested  and  imprisoned  on  the  day 
on  which  the  palace  was  attacked.  Among  these  was  the 
princess  de  Lamballe,  a woman  of  the  most  exquisite  ac- 
complishments both  of  body  and  mind.  When  she  was 
summoned  to  appear  before  this  self-constituted  tribunal, 
she  was  indulging  herself  in  that  repose  which  her  melan- 
choly situation  too  often  denied  her.  She  fell  a victim  to 
the  savage  rage  of  the  populace  ; for  on  her  coming  out  of 
the  prison,  and  being  filled  with  horror  at  the  spectacle  of 
the  numerous  dead  bodies,  over  which  she  had  to  pass,  a 
ruffian  struck  her  a violent  blow  with  a sabre,  on  the  hinder 
part  of  her  head,  which  occasioned  a copious  effusion  of 
blood ; her  bowels  and  her  heart  were  torn  out,  and  her 
head  placed  on  a pike.  There  were  other  circumstances 
attending  her  death,  so  dreadful,  and  accompanied  with 
such  acts  of  ferocious  indecency,  that  if  it  were  allowable 
to  relate  them,  they  would  appear  as  incredible  as  they  are 
dreadful. 

Whilst  the  armies  were  engaged  in  an  important  strug- 
gle on  the  frontiers,  the  interior  of  France  presented  a pic- 
ture equally  interesting  and  attractive  to  the  friends  of  man- 
kind. When  the  royal  power  was  suspended,  the  assembly 
had  placed  the  government  in  the  hands  of  seven  ministers, 
who  were  denominated  the  executive  council,  and 
amongst  that  number  were  included  those  republican  min- 
isters of  Louis,  in  whose  dismissal  he  had  given  so  much 
offence  to  the  assembly  and  the  clubs.  These  gentlemen 
found  themselves  now  in  a very  different  situation  to  what 
they  had  been  in  before ; they  had  no  longer  the  power  of 
holding  out  the  king  as  a butt  of  general  censure,  and  they' 
would  themselves  be  responsible  for  any  mai-administration, 
or  miscarriage  that  might  happen  in  the  administration. 
When  they  served  under  the  king,  they  had  a power  to  over- 
turn ; at  this  time  they  had  a power  to  secure  ; and  though 
they  had  done  every  thing  to  weaken  the  government  of 
Louis,  as  well  as  to  attribute  all  his  endeavours  for  the  pre- 
servation of  the  public  peace  to  a desire  of  tyrannising  over 


napoleon  Buonaparte. 


4 


the  people,  they  now  found  that  the  mere  title  of  executiv' 
council  was  insufficient  to  enable  them  to  administer  the 
laws,  unless  some  means  were  taken  to  enforce  obedienci 

to  them. 

Such  was  the  state  of  things  when  the  season  arrived  foi 
the  meeting  of  the  convention  ; to  which  every  one  Icokec 
with  expectation  for  the  restoration  of  harmony  and  order, 

On  the  21st  of  September,  the  new  representatives  hav- 
ing  verified  their  powers,  the  national  assembly  resignec  ^ 
its  functions,  and  consigned  its  power  to  the  convention,  b) 
a formal  address  of  renunciation,  and  a solemn  assurance 
that  its  members  would  serve  as  an  advanced  guard  of  the 
new  legislature.  As  their  first  act  the  convention  chose 
Petion  their  president,  and  though  this  circumstance  wa t 
itself  a sufficient  indication  of  a powerful  bias  against  roy- 
alty, the  leading  members  were  determined  to  leave  nc 
doubts  upon  the  subject ; for,  after  decreeing  that  the 
existing  laws  should  be  continued  in  force,  and  the  exist- 
ing taxes  be  demanded,  Collet  d’Herbois  rose,  and  sug- 
gested, that  the  convention  ought  not  to  adjourn,  till  it  had 
decreed  the  eternal  abolition  of  royalty  in  France.  Neither 
the  lateness  of  the  evening,  nor  the  importance  of  the  mo- 
tion, could  prevent  the  deputies  from  instantly  rising  to 
demand  that  the  question  might  be  immediately  put. 

M.  Bazire  exclaimed  against  the  enthusiasm  which  had 
taken  possession  of  their  minds,  and  besought  the  mem- 
bers to  discuss  a question  of  such  magnitude  with  the  dig- 
nity that  became  the  representatives  of  a great  people.  His 
advice  was  treated  as  the  dull  prudence  of  a vulgar  and 
plodding  mind,  which  was  unworthy  the  practice  of  philos- 
ophers of  superior  light,  and  the  national  assembly  briefly 
decreed,  that  “ Royalty  is  abolished  in  France .”  Loud 
applauses,  and  the  exclamations  of  “ Vive  la  nation fol- 
lowed the  decree  ; and  minutes  of  the  sitting  were  or- 
dered to  be  sent  to  the  departments,  and  to  the  armies,  as 
well  as  to  be  proclaimed  throughout  Paris. 

From  the  21st  of  September,  Dumourier  was  engaged  in 
various  battles  on  the  frontiers.  A mong  the  most  memorable 
and  important  was  the  battle  of  Gemappe,  which  completely 
decided  the  fate  of  the  Netherlands.  The  loss  sustained  by  the 
Austrians  on  the  9th  November,  has  been  estimated  at  no 
1 less  than  4000  killed  and  wounded, together  with  a number  of 

7 


50 


THE  LIFE  OF 


prisoners,  while  the  Frenchhad  no  more  than  900  killed,  ac- 
cording to  Dumourier’s  own  account,  although  it  is  proba- 
ble that  the  disproportion  was  not  quite  so  great.  This 
day  was  also  distinguished  by  some  acts  of  individual  valour, 
which  will  be  remembered  by  the  admirers  of  fortitude  to 
the  latest  posterity.  Baptiste,  general  Dumourier’s  valet- 
de-chambre,  found  means  to  rally  and  lead  on  to  the  charge 
live  squadrons  of  cavalry,  and  two  battalions  of  national 
guards,  being  the  first  himself  who  rushed  in,  sword 
in  hand,  to  the  entrenchments  of  the  enemy,  and  com- 
pletely dislodged  them.  The  aid-de-camp  appeared  at  the 
laar  of  the  convention,  with  dispatches  from  the  general  in 
chief,  and,  like  a true  son  of  Mars,  introduced  himself  in 
these  words  : 

“ I am  only  a soldier,  and  not  an  orator — the  soldier  of 
“ a republican  army  ought  never  to  open  his  mouth  but  to 
“ bite  off  the  end  of  his  cartridge  ; but  I present  to  the  just 
“ admiration  of  the  convention,  the  brave  Baptiste,  general 
“ Dumourier’s  valet-de-chambre,  who  forced  the  enemy, 
“ sword  in  hand,  to  quit  their  entrenchments.  The  general 

having  asked  him  what  reward  he  wished  for,  he  replied, 
“ the  honour  of  wearing  the  national  uniform.” 

While  Baptiste  approached  the  bar,  the  hall  resounded 
with  reiterated  bursts  of  applause.  He  was  three  times 
embraced  by  lieutenant- colonel  Loure,  by  whom  he  was  in- 
troduced, which  again  occasioned  the  plaudits  to  be  renew- 
ed, and  the  president  thus  addressed  him ; 

“ Brave  citizen,  you  have  raised  yourself  to  the  rank  of 
“ a first  defender  ol  the  French  republic  ; till  you  receive 
“ the  reward  which  it  owes  you,  enter  the  temple  of  the 
“ laws,  amidst  our  acclamations.  The  legislators  are  hap- 
“ py  to  find  among  them  one  of  the  brave  conquerors  of 
“ Mons.” 

The  president  then  embraced  him,  and  the  whole  scene 
terminated  with  demonstrations  of  satisfaction  and  joy. 

On  the  11th  of  December  the  king  was  brought  to  the 
bar,  and  was  allowed  to  choose  M.  M.  Deseze,  Tronchet, 
and  Malesherbes,  to  defend  him.  - The  trial  lasted  thirty- 
four  days,  and  then,  being  persuaded  that  they  had  played 
the  farce  of  solemn  decency  long  enough,  the  convention 
pronounced  hinj  guilty.  Whoever  is  desirous  of  forming  a 
clear  opinion  of  these  iniquitous  proceedings,  will  do  well 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


S 


to  consult  the  trial,  and  particularly  the  defence  of  Deseze 
every  word  of  which  proved  the  innocence  of  the  accused 
and  the  guilt  of  the  accusers. 

When  the  proces  verbal  was  read,  containing  the  answer: 
of  all  the  members  to  the  question,  What  punishment  shal 
he  suffer  ? even  the  blood- hounds  of  the  convention  were 
confounded  with  horror,  when  they  heard  that  Philip  Ega- 
lite,  duke  of  Orleans,  the  king’s  own  relation,  and  the  only 
relation  whose  word  had  the  least  influence  with  the  people 
had  voted  for  death  ! 

During  this  dreadful  situation,  Louis  requested  a respite 
for  only  three  days,  that  he  migfltt  not  be  hurried  into  eter- 
nity without  a suitable  preparation  for  his  awful  change  ; — 
but,  with  a degree  of  savage  barbarity,  which  will  probably 
be  remembered  to  their  disgrace  while  time  endures,  the 
convention  refused  to  grant  his  request. 

It  was  two  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  19th  January 
before  the  sentence  was  finally  determined,  and  the  decree 
ordered  to  the  executive  council,  who  were  commanded  to 
notify  it  to  Louis,  and  to  cause  it  to  be  executed  within 
twenty-four  hours  afterwards,  and  to  take  every  measure 
of  safety  and  police  that  should  appear  to  them  necessary 
during  the  execution. 

During  the  night  of  the  20th,  Paris  was  illuminated,  and 
no  person  whatever  was  permitted  to  go  abroad  in  the  streets. 
Large  bodies  of  armed  men  patrolled  in  every  part  of  that 
immense  metropolis ; the  noise  of  coaches  ceased,  the 
streets  were  deserted,  and  the  city  was  buried  in  an  awful 
silence.  About  two  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  fatal 
Monday  the  21st,  voices  were  heard  at  intervals,  through 
the  gloom  of  lamentation  and  distress  ; but  whence  they 
proceeded,  or  what  they  were,  no  person  has  been  able  to 
discover. 

This  circumstance,  among  many  others,  terrified  the 
people.  The  unhappy  monarch  spent  all  Sunday  in  prepa- 
ration for  his  approaching  change.  His  calm  resignation, 
and  patience,  displayed  great  eminence  of  soul ; but  the 
meeting  and  parting  of  his  family  was.  a scene  too  painful, 
too  distressing  to  the  feelings  of  humanity  1 The  queen 
hung  round  the  neck  of  her  departing  husband  in  delirious 
anguish  ; the  princess  royal  grasped  his  hand  ; the  dauphin 

embraced  his  knees ; and  madame  Elizabeth  bathed  his 
\ * 


52 


THE  LIFE  OF 


feet  with  the  torrent  of  her  tears.  The  queen  was  at  last 
removed  from  him  in  a state  of  insensibility,  from  which 
she  did  not  revive  before  two  o’clock  on  Monday  afternoon. 
The  king  exhibited  on  this  sad  spectacle,  all  the  tenderness 
of  a husband,  a father,  a brother ; and,  appearing  more 
affected  by  the  affliction  of  persons  so  dear  and  so  beloved 
than  by  his  own  misfortunes,  consoled  them  with  the  most 
soothing  words.  Having  passed  through  this  trying  scene, 
he  now  applied  to  his  religious  duties,  and  prepared  to  meet 
his  God.  The  conversation  which  he  was  permitted  to  hold 
with  his  confessor,  it  is  said,  was  pious,  sensible,  and  ani- 
mated ; and  his  hope  was  lull  of  immortality.  He  protest- 
ed his  innocence,  and  forgave  his  enemies  from  his  heart. 
The  clocks  of  Paris,  at  length,  sounded  eight  on  Monday 
morning  ; and  he  was  summoned  to  his  fate.  He  issued 
from  his  prison,  and  was  conducted  to  a coach  belonging  to 
the  mayor  of  Paris,  in  which  were  two  soldiers  of  the 
gendarmerie.  He  was  attended  by  his  confessor,  and  as- 
sisted to  step  into  the  carriage  by  one  or  two  of  the  sentinels, 
who  stood  at  the  gate  of  the  Temple. 

The  place  appointed  for  the  execution  was  filled  with  an 
immense  multitude  of  people,  and  large  bodies  of  horse 
and  foot  were  drawn  up  to  awe  the  multitude.  The  most 
awful  silence  prevailed,  while  the  coach  was  advancing 
slowly  towards  the  scaffold.  Louis  ascended  it  with  heroic 
fortitude,  with  a firm  step,  and  undismayed  countenance. 
He  was  accompanied  on  the  scaffold  by  his  confessor,  and 
two  or  three  municipal  officers.  For  a moment  he  looked 
around  upon  the  people,  with  a complacent  countenance, 
and  he  was  preparing  to  address  the  spectators,  when  the 
ruffian  Santerre,  cried  out,  “ No  speeches ! come,  no 
speeches  !”  and  suddenly  the  drums  beat,  and  trumpets 
sounded.  He  spoke  ; but  all  the  expressions  that  could  be 
distinctly  heard,  were  these  : 

“ I forgive  my  enemies : may  God  forgive  them,  and 
“ not  lay  my  innocent  blood  to  the  charge  of  the  nation  ! 
“ God  bless  my  people,” 

The  confessor  fell  upon  his  knees,  and  implored  the  king’s 
blessing,  who  gave  it  him  with  an  affectionate  embrace. 
The  unfortunate  monarch  then  laid  his  head  upon  the  block 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 

with  admirable  serenity,  and  ceased  to  live  in  this 
Previous  to  his  execution,  he  wrote  to  the  national  < 
tion,  requesting  to  be  buried  near  to  his  father  in  ca- 
thedral of  Sens,  situated  in  the  department  of  Yo  D~! 

miles  south- south-east  of  Paris,  and  35  west-south- 
Troyes,  capital  of  the  department  of  Aube.  The  < en 
tion  passed  to  the  order  of  the  day.  He  was  buriec  ■ 
cemetery  ground  of  the  new  Magdelainej  about  E 
north  of  the  place  of  execution,  and  the  grave  fill 
hot  lime. 

Thus  perished  a prince,  whose  reign  had  been 
with  fewer  instances  of  oppression  than  those  of  so\ 
in  general.  Nations,  who  invoke  this  example  as  a 
lesson  to  kings,  will  do  well  to  take  advantage  of  the  t ; 
tical  inferences  that  it  offers  for  their  own  instructioi 
proves  that  kings  are  exposed  to  the  just  vengeance 
people,  it  proves  equallv  clearly  that  the  vengeance 
people  is  not  always  just ! Nations  have  an  undoubte 
to  punish  a tyrant,  who  places  himself  above  the  L 
no  individual  is  capacitated  to  give  an  opinion  upon 
subject,  unless  the  whole  of  his  own  conduct  is  re 
by  the  law. 

“ Louis  the  XVIth  fell,”  says  a cotemporary  writ 
the  39th  year  of  his  age,  and  the  19th  of  his  reig  :n 
with  him  fell  the  monarchy  of  France,  which  unde' 
dynasties,  had  existed  nearly  fifteen  centuries.  So 
: at  the  time  of  his  accession,  was  the  general  sentir 

his  favour,  that  he  was  greeted  with  the  title  of  Lc 
desired.  Nor,  though  afterwards  branded  with  eve 
of  obloquy,  did  he  ever  merit  the  hatred  of  his  st 
In  some  measure  he  resembled  Charles  the  first  of  K 
to  whose  history  he  paid  great  attention.  Charles,  ho 
maintained,  with  vigour  and  by  arms,  a contest  c> 
years  duration ; and,  when  at  length  overcome,  un- 
refused to  acknowledge  the  authority  by  which  he 
raigned.  He  lost  his  croum  and  life,  but  he  pr  re- 
inviolate  the  reputation  of  active  courage  and  unconq  :i: .. 
spirit.  Louis  may,  perhaps,  with  more  propriety,  f 
pared  to  the  sixth  Henry.  With  greater  abilities  thai 
ry,  he  had,  in  some  parts  of  his  character  and  situ:  .. 
strong  similarity  to  that  monarch.  Both  were  pious  , 
diffident  of  themselves,  and  therefore  easily  swayed 

% 


54 


THE  LIFE  OF  * 


ers ; both  espoused  princesses  of  elevated  minds ; both 
were  deprived  of  their  thrones  by  their  subjects,  and  both 
perished  by  an  untimely  death. 

“ The  understanding  of  Louis  was  much  above  medi- 
ocrity ; he  had  acquired  a vast  fund  of  knowledge  by  read- 
ing; his  memory  was  remarkably  tenacious:  and  his  judg- 
ment in  arranging,  combining,  and  applying,  what  his 
memory  had  retained,  was  often  displayed  in  a manner  that 
was  highly  creditable  to  him.  On  the  relative  state  and  in- 
terests of  France  and  the  European  powers,  his  information 
was  by  no  means  inconsiderable.  History  and  geography 
were  two  of  his  favourite  studies.  To  the  former  he  paid 
much  attention ; and  such  was  his  proficiency  in  the  latter, 
that  the  detailed  instructions  to  the  ill-fated  navigator  Pe- 
rouse,  were  drawn  up  by  his  own  hand  : he  was,  indeed, 

• supposed  to  be  the  best  geographer  in  his  kingdom.  With 
jc-  some  of  the  mechanical  arts  he  was  also  well  acquainted,  and 

* even  occasionally  practised  them. 

“In. his  moral  conduct  he  was  unimpeachable.  Just, 
beneficent,  a good  husband,  a good  father,  and  a lover  of 
bis  people  ; he  would,  had  he  lived  in  an  age  less  turbulent, 
When  the  higher  talents  are  not  required  in  a ruler,  have  done 
honour  to  a throne.  The  faith  in  which  he  and  his  ancestors 
had  been  educated,  he  followed  with  sincerity  and  warmth, 
but  without  any  mixture  of  ill-directed  and  uncharitable 
zeal.  On  the  mercy  and  goodness  of  the  Deity  he  relied 
with  unfeigned  confidence.  That  reliance  afforded  him  con- 
solation in  the  latter  stormy  period  of  his  reign,  and  forti- 
tv.de  in  the  hour  of  death.  His  weakness  resorted  to  it  for 
support,  and  it  enabled  him  to  triumph  over  slander,  cap- 
tivity, and  the  grave. 

“ .Louis  yielded  at  those  very  moments  when  he  should 
most  vigorously  have  enforced  obedience  ; when  he  should 
fully  have  asserted  his  authority,  or  abandoned  life  and  au- 
thority together ; passive  courage  he  possessed,  but  not 
active. 

“ Yet  even  this  had  its  rise  in  a fault,  but  it  was  a fault  of 
so  amiable  a nature,  that  it  can  hardly  be  censured  without 
pain.  It  arose  from  the  extreme  horror  which  he  always 
felt  of  shedding  human  blood.  Looking,  however,  to  the 
siteiation  in  which  they  are  placed,  and  the  high  purposes 
for  which  they  hold  that  situation,  sovereigns  ought  to 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


55 


consult,  ‘not  their  feelings , but  their  duties.  Blind  and  in- 
discriminate mercy  is,  in  its  effects,  the  worst  of  cruelties. 
Humanity  itself  imperiously  commands  the  punishment  of 
those  who  wantonly  and  wickedly  violate  the  laws  on  which 
social  order  is  founded  ; and  by  giving  a loose  to  the  most 
violent  passions  of  man,  reduced  him  to  a state  of  w'orse 
than  savage  nature,  since  it  has  all  the  bad  qualities  of  sav- 
age existence  without  any  of  its  virtues.  The  monarch  is 
the  guardian  of  the  state,  and  the  safety  of  the  state  is  put 
to  the  hazard,  when  traitors  are  allowed  to  conspire  with 
impunity.  Nor  will  the  king  who  tolerates  treason  long  re- 
main a king. 

The  unfortunate  Louis  fell  a victim  to  his  ignorance  of 
this  truth.  In  his  fall  he  drew  dowm  the  greatest  evils,  not 
only  upon  his  own  country,  but  also  upon  a considerable  part 
of  Europe.  The  clemency  cost  the  lives  of  the  bravest,  the 
wisest,  and  noblest  characters  of  the  times  in  which  they 
lived  ; covered  France  with  scaffolds  and  blood  ; shook  to 
their  foundations,  some  of  the  oldest  established  govern- 
ments ; and  involved  others  in  total  destruction. 

His  fate  will  operate  as  a lesson  to  all  sovereigns,  and 
happy  will  it  be  for  mankind,  if  the  caution  thus  inspired, 
does  not,  sooner  or  later,  degenerate  into  a gloomy  and  sus- 
picious tyranny,  which,  under  pretence  of  resisting  innova- 
tion, may  discourage  all  reform,  and  strike  the  surest  and 
most  deadly  blows  at  the  very  existence  of  freedom  itself. 
History  must  lament  that  he  lived  in  an  age,  and  among  a 
people,  when  all  the  vigorous  talents  of  a Henry  the  Fourth 
tvould  not  have  been  more  than  sufficient  to  preserve,  unim- 
paired, the  dignity  of  the  sovereign,  and,  by  that  dignity, 
the  peace  and  welfare  of  his  subjects. 

The  Belgians  had  been  completely  captivated  by  the  first 
sound  of  French  liberty,  and  nothing  tvas  heard  among  them 
but  being  incorporated  with  France.  The  heyday  of  re- 
publican delight  was  preserved  amongst  them  for  some  time, 
by  an  assurance  that  they  were  to  be  relieved  from  the 
burdens  imposed  upon  them  by  the  emperor,  and  that  their 
brothers,  the  French,  had  been  induced  to  rescue  them  from 
the  yoke,  out  of  mere  kindness.  But  it  was  a very  curious 
illustration  of  this  fraternity,  that  the  commissioners  of  the 
convention  gave,  when  they  arrived  at  Brussels ; for  they 
demanded  very  heavy  contributions  to  defray  the  expenses 


56 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  the  delivering  armies.  These  and  numberless  other  out- 
rages  committed  in  Belgia,  Dumourier  says,  not  only  alien- 
ated the  affections  of  the  people  from  France,  but  rendered 
it  unsafe  for  an  army  to  be  quartered  amongst  them ; more- 
over, general  Bournonville,  who  had  been  appointed  minis- 
ter of  war,  in  lieu  of  Pache,  had  resigned  the  office,  from  a 
conviction  that  the  pride  and  ignorance  of  the  government 
would  defeat  all  the  efforts  of  its  officers. 

Under  those  discouraging  circumstances,  the  French 
forces  met  with  a very  powerful  resistance  from  the  Dutch 
and  English  troops,  which  had  now  prepared  to  arrest  their 
progress,  and  as  the  British  gun- boats  were  able  to  act  in 
the  Holland  Diep , and  Bies  Bosch , the  general  thought  it 
adviseable  to  retreat,  lest  he  should  be  inclosed  between 
the  Hollanders  and  the  incensed  Belgians. 

Dumourier  had  gone  to  Liege,  where  he  was  received  by 
the  troops  with  every  demonstration  of  joy,  expecting  that 
they  would  be  led  to  conquests  under  his  command,  equally 
as  glorious  as  what  they  obtained  at  Gemappe.  It  is  certain, 
however,  that  the  native  strength  and  vigour  of  the  French 
army  were  now  no  more,  and  the  man  they  so  much  rejoic- 
ed to  behold  again,  was  not,  in  point  of  enthusiasm,  the 
same  Dumourier  who  had  formerly  conquered  the  Nether- 
lands. On  the  15th  of  March  the  Austrians  determined  on 
the  reduction  of  Tirlemont ; the  French  had  no  more  than 
400  men  at  that  station,  yet  they  fought  with  incredible  fu- 
ry before  they  would  surrender,  and  the  Austrians  were  the 
next  day  compelled  to  evacuate  it,  by  Dumourier  in  person, 
when  they  retreated  towards  St.  Tron.  On  the  18th  a des- 
perate engagement  was  fought  at  Neerwinden,  between  the 
hostile  armies,  which  continued,  with  unabated  fury  on 
both  sides,  from  seven  in  the  morning  till  five  in  the  after- 
noon, at  which  time  the  French  found  themselves  incapable 
to  cope  with  the  enemy  any  longer,  and  the  Austrian  cav- 
alry completely  routed  them.  The  courage  of  the  repub- 
licans on  this  occasion  is  allowed  to  have  been  very  great, 
as  well  as  the  skill  they  exhibited  ; but  they  had  to  contend 
with  superior  numbers  of  well  disciplined  troops.  M.  Du- 
mourier attributes  the  defeat  of  this  day  to  the  bad  conduct 
of  Miranda,  who  commanded  the  left  wing  of  the  army,  to 
a blunder  committed  by  general  La  Marche,  and  the  jeal 
ousy  of  Valence, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


57 

It  is  impossible  to  determine  with  precision,  how  far  these 
charges  are  founded  in  fact,  or  how  much  of  the  defeat  might 
be  owing  to  the  commander  himself ; but  certain  it  is  that 
general  Miranda,  in  writing  to  M,  Petion,  insinuates  his 
suspicions  of  Dumourier’s  integrity  in  terms  by  no  means 
ambiguous.  He  declares  that  it  had  been  the  invariable 
practice  of  the  commander  in  chief,  prior  to  the  battle  of 
Neerwinden,  to  consult  with  him  upon  every  emergency  ; 
but  that  for  this  battle  he  had  not  made  the  least  mention  of 
the  very  arrangements  which  he  proposed  to  adopt.  Mi- 
randa says,  “ At  eleven  at  night  my  orders  were  delivered 
in  writing,  and  I learned  in  a conversation  with  him,  that 
we  were  to  offer  battle  to  an  enemy  51,000  strong,  very  ad- 
vantageously posted,  and  a formidable  artillery,  with  a force 
inferior  to  theirs,  and  with  every  disadvantage  of  situation 
and  encampment — all  this  was  to  be  effected  without  hav- 
ing previously  reconnoitred  the  ground,  or  the  particular 
position  of  the  enemy.”  The  loss  sustained  by  the  French 
in  this  battle,  Dumourier  estimates  at  3,000  men,  with  a 
number  of  cannon  ; while  the  same  authority  states  the  loss 
of  the  Austrians  at  1,400.  In  addition  to  this  defeat,  the 
army  was  farther  enfeebled  by  the  loss  of  6,000  men  who 
deserted,  taking  their  route  towards  Brussels  and  France. 

On  the  21st  M.  Dumourier  took  his  station  at  Louvain, 
and  on  the  ensuing  day  he  experienced  a severe  attack  from 
the  enemy.  The  contest  was  remarkably  sanguinary,  and 
continued  the  whole  day,  terminating  in  the  total  defeat  of 
the  Imperial  troops,  who  lost  a prodigious  number  of  men 
in  killed  and  wounded.  Prior  to  this  engagement  the  re- 
publican commander  in  chief  had  dispatched  colonel  Mont- 
joye  to  the  head -quarters  of  the  prince  of  Cobourg,  to  en- 
ter into  a treaty  respecting  the  wounded  and  prisoners,  con- 
cerning which  he  thus  speaks  : “ He  there  saw7  colonel 

Mack,  an  officer  of  uncommon  merit,  who  observed  to 
colonel  Montjoye,  that  it  might  be  equally  advantageous 
to  both  parties  to  agree  to  a suspension  of  arms.  Du- 
mourier, who  had  deeply  considered  the  situation  of  his  ar- 
my, sent  Montjoye  again  to  colonel  Mack  on  the  22d,  to 
demand  if  he  would  come  to  Louvain,  and  make  the  same 
proposition  to  Dumourier.  Colonel  Mack  came  in  the 
evening.  The  following  articles  were  verbally  agreed  to  ; 
First,  that  the  Imperialists  should  not  again  attack  the 

8 


58 


THE  LIFE  OF 


French  army  in  great  force,  nor  general  Dumouricr  again 
offer  battle  to  the  Imperialists.  Secondly,  that  on  the  faith 
of  this  tacit  armistice,  the  French  should  retire  to  Brussels 
slowly  and  in  good  order,  without  any  opposition  from  the 
enemy.  And  lastly,  that  Dumourier  and  colonel  Mack 
should  have  another  interview  after  the  evacuation  of  Brus- 
sels, in  order  to  settle  further  articles  that  might  then 
be  mutually  deemed  necessary.”  Whether  it  originated 
from  a conviction  that  Dumourier  was  not  to  be  trusted, 
or  from  s<  me  other  motive,  cannot  with  certainty  be  known, 
but  no  respect  was  paid  by  the  Imperialists  to  the  above  ver- 
bal stipulation,  who,  under  the  command  of  Clairfait,  at- 
tacked the  advanced  guard  at  Pillenberk,  which  obliged  the 
French  general  to  abandon  Louvain.  Dumourier,  upon 
this  defeat,  conveyed  the  wounded  men,  and  the  flour  des- 
tined for  his  troops,  in  boats  to  Mechlin  ; from  thence  he 
performed  his  retreat  to  Brussels  during  the  night,  else  he 
would  have  had  reason  to  repent  most  bitterly  of  his  late 
alliance.  He  speaks  in  terms  not  very  honourable  to  the 
conduct  of  the  Austrians  on  this  occasion  ; that,  if  he  had 
not  taken  the  above  precaution,  he  believed  that  notwith- 
standing the  verbal  stipulations  agreed  to  by  colonel  Mack, 
they  would  probably  have  seized  upon  this  opportunity  to 
destroy,  or  entirely  disperse  the  French  army.  On  his  part 
he  continued  to  pay  the  most  sacred  regard  to  his  promise, 
and  he  admits  that  the  prince  of  Cobourg,  discovered  some 
regard  to  it,  by  continuing  at  Louvain  for  the  space  of  three 
days  longer,  watching  the  rear-guard  of  the  French  only  by 
small  detachments  at  a time.  Dumourier  with  his  army 
marched  through  Brussels  on  the  25th  of  March,  and  now 
the  citadel  of  Antwerp  (about  26  miles  north  of  Brussels) 
was  the  only  remaining  place  of  which  he  found  it  practica- 
ble to  retain  the  possession.  Here  he  placed  a garrison  of 
2,000  men,  together  with  provisions  to  last  them  six  months, 
■with  a view  to  preserve  a communication  with  the  troops 
which  had  been  left  at  Breda  and  Gertruydenberg.  He  in- 
timates that  it  was  his  intention  to  have  formed  beyond  the 
frontiers  of  the  republic,  by  Namur,  Mons,  Tournay,  Cour- 
tray,  Antwerp,  and  Breda,  to  afford  him  the  opportunity 
of  putting  his  army  in  a more  formidable  situation  ; but 
he  declares  that  the  unavoidable  evacuation  of  Namur  hav- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


59 


ing  broken  this  line,  he  was  completely  disconcerted  in  the 
execution  of  his  plan. 

On  the  27th  general  Dumourier  arrived  at  Ath,  at  which 
place  he  received  an  order  from  the  convention  to  arr  st 
general  Miranda  and  the  colonel  of  the  73d  regiment  of  in- 
fantry ; but,  though  Dumourier  complained  of  general  Mi- 
randa, he  too  well  knew  the  sanguinary  temper  of  the 
present  legislators  to  execute  such  orders.  Colonel  Mack 
arrived  at  Ath  the  same  day,  when  another  conference  took 
place  between  him  and  the  general,  the  result  of  which  was, 
“ that  the  French  army  should  remain  some  time  longer  in 
the  possession  of  Mens,  Tournay,  and  Courtray,  without 
being  harassed  by  the  Imperial  army  ; that  general  Dumou- 
rier, who  stated  to  colonel  Mack  his  design  of  marching 
against  Paris , should,  when  their  designs  were  ripe  for  ex- 
ecution, regulate  the  motions  of  the  Imperialists,  who  were 
to  act  as  auxiliaries  in  the  execution  of  their  plan  ; that  in 
the  case  of  Dumourier’s  having  no  need  of  assistance,  which 
was  to  be  greatly  desired  by  both  parties,  the  Imperialists 
should  not  advance  further  than  the  frontiers  of  France,  and 
that  the  total  evacuation  of  Belgium  should  be  the  price  of 
this  condescension  ; but  if  Dumourier  could  not  effect  the 
re-establishment  of  a limited  monarchy,  (not  a counter- 
revolution,) he  himself  should  indicate  ,the  number  and 
kind  of  troops  which  the  Imperialists  should  furnish,  to  aid 
in  the  project,  and  which  should  be  entirely  under  Dumou- 
rier’s direction.” 

When  the  commissioners  who  had  been  appointed  to  in- 
vestigate the  conduct  of  Dumourier,  returned  to  Paris,  and 
stated  the  substance  of  the  conversation,  the  members  of  the 
convention  ordered  the  general  to  be  superseded  in  the  chief 
command  by  Bournonville,  who  was  accompanied  by  four 
commissioners  appointed  to  arrest  him.  Wishing  to  pro- 
ceed with  deliberation,  the  commissioners  did  not  think 
proper  to  go  directly  to  the  camp,  and  therefore  they  for- 
warded a summons  to  M.  Dumourier,  desiring  him  to  meet 
them  at  Lisle,  and  answer  the  charges  which  had  been  pre- 
ferred against  him.  Without  intimating  any  suspicions  of 
danger,  he  replied,  that  such  was  the  situation  of  the  army 
1 at  present,  that  it  required  his  immediate  presence  and  un- 
j remitting  attention  ; as  the  troops  in  Antwerp  had  deserted 
1 the  place,  and  he  had  been  obliged  to  order  the  garrisons  of 


60 


THE  LIFE  Ol 


Breda  and  Gertniydenberg  to  capitulate,  on  the  proviso  that 
they  were  permitted  to  return  back  to  France  ; he,  himself, 
for  the  purpose  of  occupying  the  camp  of  Maulde,  having 
raised  that  of  Tournay.  At  the  same  time  he  commanded 
general  Miaczinski,  who  commanded  at  Orchies,  to  pro- 
ceed with  his  troops  to  Lisle,  and  arrest  the  commissioners 
sent  from  the  convention  to  apprehend  him.  Miaczinski 
foolishly  made  known  the  object  of  his  mission,  which  he 
ought  prudently  to  have  concealed,  as  it  was  manifestly  a 
hazardous  undertaking.  The  consequence  was,  that  on 
his  entrance  into  Lisle  the  gates  were  immediately  shut  be- 
hind him,  he  was  arrested,  conveyed  to  Paris,  condemned 
and  executed  by  that  sanguinary  tribunal,  the  national  con- 
vention. Dumourier  was  frustrated  in  his  endeavours  to 
gain  possession  of  Conde  and  Valenciennes,  by  the  two 
generals  Ferrand  and  Ecuyer,  both  invincibly  attached  to 
the  republican  interest,  although  they  owed  their  elevation 
in  the  army  entirely  to  general  Dumourier.  “ Ferrand,” 
says  the  general,  “ was  arrived  at  an  age  when  he  could  not 
reasonably  , hive  b?en  suspected  of  fanaticism  ; he  had  bit- 
terly exclaimed  against  anarchy  and  jacobin  principles  in 
times  past,  but  he  sacrificed  his  opinions  and  his  gratitude 
together.”  , 

ft  was  unquestiohably  a daring  attempt  to  arrest  a general 
of  Dumourier’s  extraordinary  talents,  at  the  head  of  his 
army,  as  the  commissioners  had  no  reason  to  believe  that 
his  army  was  disaffected  to  him.  They  proceeded  (first  of 
April)  to  M.  Dumourier’s  head-quarters  at  St.  Amand,  and, 
on  being  introduced  to  that  general,  they  unequivocally 
unfolded  to  him  the  object  of  their  mission.  After  a con- 
versation, which  lasted  some  hours,  Dumourier  found  it 
impracticable  to  gain  them  over  to  his  views,  or  convince 
them  of  the  madness  and  wickedness  of  the  Jacobins  ; he 
gave  a signal  to  a party  of  soldiers  to  take  them  into  custo- 
dy, and  requested  general  Clairfait  to  confine  them  at  Tour- 
nay,  his  then  head- quarters,  that  their  lives  might  be  re- 
sponsible for  any  injury  of  a serious  nature  done  to  the  per- 
sons of  the  royal  family  of  France.  In  calculating  on  the 
co-operation  of  his  army  for  the  purpose  of  establishing 
monarchy,  M.  Dumourier’s  masterly  abilities  seem  to  have 
deserted  him  ; for  although  he  might  fairly  conclude  that 
his  soldiers  would  not  permit  him  to  be  personally  insulted 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


61 


as  a criminal,  they  were  too  much  enamoured  of  republican 
sentiments  to  assist  in  the  establishment  of  the  old  govern- 
ment, however  modified. 

Having  published  a manifesto  to  his  army  on  the  evening 
of  the  2d  of  April,  he  on  the  3d,  repaired  to  the  camp  to 
make  its  contents  known  to  the  soldiers,  and  they  gave 
tokens  of  approbation  respecting  his  designs.  At  St.  Amand 
the  corps  of  artillery  evinced  their  satisfaction  with  his  pro- 
posal, and  he  assures  us  that  he  could  discover  no  symp- 
toms of  disapprobation,  but  among  some  battalions  of  vol- 
unteers, who  expressed  it  by  murmurs.  Next  day  he  set 
out  for  Conde,  committing  the  care  of  St.  Amand  to  gen- 
eral Thouvenot ; but,  before  his  arrival  at  the  fortress,  he 
received  intelligence  of  the  most  humiliating  nature,  sent 
by  an  officer,  from  his  confidential  friend,  general  Neuilly; 
that  the  soldiers  were  almost  in  a state  of  open  rebellion,  on 
which  account  he  would  not  advise  him  to  proceed,  as  his 
life  might  be  in  danger.  On  his  way  he  passed  a body  of 
volunteers  taking  the  same  route  with  himself,  but  contrary 
to  what  he  might  have  expected,  they  gave  him  no  molesta- 
tion. Scarcely  had  he  received  the  message  of  his  friend 
from  the  hands  of  the  officer,  when  a detachment  of  the  vol- 
unteers, having  abandoned  the  highway,  and  running  to- 
wards him  with  menacing  countenances,  exclaimed,  “ Stop, 
stop  !”  It  was  not  now  time  to  deliberate,  in  the  midst  of 
the  greatest  danger  ; he  mounted  a horse  belonging  to  a 
servant  of  general  Egalite,  (then  duke  de  Chatres,)  and 
with  the  utmost  difficulty  made  his  escape,  the  whole  body 
of  volunteers  having  fired  upon  him  at  once. 

It  was  the  intention  of  the  general,  at  this  critical  and 
alarming  juncture,  to  reach  the  camp  of  Maulde,  where  he 
hoped  to  find  protection  and  esteem  ; but  as  this  was  ren- 
dered impracticable,  he  proceeded  by  the  river  Scheldt  to 
the  territory  of  the  Imperialists  ; where  he  had  a conversa- 
tion with  colonel  Mack,  and  spent  the  whole  night  in  pre- 
paring the  proclamation  of  the  prince  of  Cobourg,  which  was 
issued  the  5th  of  the  month,  accompanied  by  one  of  his 
own.  It  appears  that  the  general  placed  great  reliance  upon 
his  influence  with  the  troops,  for  at  this  conference  it  was 
agreed  that  when  M.  Dumourier  got  possession  of  Conde, 
it  was  to  be  delivered  to  the  Austrians  to  be  employed  as  a 
magazine,  should  the  French  commander  in  chief  find  it 


62 


THE  LIFE  OF 


necessary  to  apply  for  assistance  to  the  Imperialists  in  the 
prosecution  of  his  plan.  Dumourier’s  proclamation,  or 
manifesto,  recounted  the  signal  services  he  had  performed 
to  his  country ; and  he  likewise  animadverted  on  the  unpar- 
donable neglect  of  his  army  during  the  preceding  winter 
by  the  war  minister.  He  did  not  omit  the  cruel  and  barba- 
rous treatment  of  the  jacobins  towards  the  most  gallant  and 
intrepid  officers  of  the  republic,  and  particularly  towards 
himself.  He  descanted  on  the  reasons  by  which  he  was 
actuated  in  arresting  the  commissioners,  insisting  that  im- 
perious necessity  called  for  such  a measure  ; and  gave  a 
most  pathetic  and  animated  description  of  the  dreadful  evils 
which  would  unavoidably  come  upon  France,  without  the 
establishment  of  a rational  constitution.  He  closed  his 
manifesto  with  an  exhortation  to  the  people  of  France  to 
unite  in  restoring  the  constitution  of  1789 — 90  and  91, 
which  they  had  sworn  to  maintain  ; solemnly  swearing  that 
he  appeared  in  arms  for  no  other  purpose,  which  having  ac- 
complished, he  would  make  a voluntary  resignation  of  all 
public  employment,  and  enjoy  in  solitude  the  pleasing  re- 
flection, that  he  had.  conferred  substantial  happiness  on  his 
fellow- citizens. 

The  defection  of  general  Dumourier  was  by  no  means 
the  principal  embarrassment  that  the  republic  met  with. 
The  people  in  many  of  the  western  and  southern  depart- 
ments of  France,  arose  in  open  rebellion  against  the  tyranny 
of  the  convention.  The  disorganising  spirit  of  the  Jacobins 
was  such,  that  they  paid  no  regard  to  the  prejudices  or  the 
delicacy  of  the  people  ; but,  under  the  name  of  fanaticism, 
they  persecuted  every  thing  that  was  decent  and  regular. 
The  zealots  in  religion  were  shocked  by  frequent  proces- 
sions of  lewd  women,  heathenishly  attired  as  goddesses, 
ready  to  receive  the  devotions  of  their  licentious  worship- 
pel's.  The  friends  of  virtue  were  outraged  in  every  rela- 
tion by  the  members  of  the  legislature,  who,  both  by  their 
practices  and  laws,  gave  every  facility  to  dissolutions  of  the 
marriage  contract : and  the  lovers  of  order  were  chagrined 
at  the  increasing  practices  of  casual  cohabitation  and  irreg- 
ular intercourse.  Novelty  seemed  to  be  the  ruling  princi- 
ple of  the  government,  and  the  guillotine  the  only  argu- 
ment it  condescended  to  use  for  the  conviction  of  the  peo-: 
pie.  Resistance  to  such  a system  became  a sacred  obliga- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


63 


tion,  and  the  persecuted  priests  took  advantage  of  the  pub- 
lic feelings,  to  arm  their  flocks,  in  various  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, into  powerful  armies  against  the  convention. 

La  Vendee  was  the  first  department  that  offered  any  se- 
rious opposition  to  the  republic,  and  there  the  royalists  as- 
sembled in  great  numbers ; but  they  acted  rather  under  the 
impulse  of  passion  than  from  any  concerted  plan.  The 
convention  sent  a few  troops  against  them,  and  they  were 
dispersed ; although  it  was  known  that  sixty  out  of  the 
eighty-four  departments  were  in  a high  state  of  disaffection. 
No  blame  can  attach  to  the  royalists  on  this  account,  if  it 
be  true,  that  the  courage  of  the  just  is  inferior  to  the  despe- 
ration of  the  unjust ; for  the  fault  of  the  royalists  was,  that 
they  were  panic- struck  with  the  unheard  of  and  unexpect- 
ed cruelties  of  the  Jacobins. 

On  the  31st  of  March  it  was  announced  to  the  conven- 
tion, that  the  national  guard  had  taken  300  of  these  coun- 
ter revolutionists  prisoners,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Loire, 
and  that  they  were  all  immediately  massacred  in  cold  blood. 
This  was  even  considered  perfectly  regular,  for  the  conven- 
tion doomed  every  royalist,  if  found  with  arms  in  his  hands 
to  be  shot;  and  if  without  arms  to  be  guillotined.  A sys- 
tem of  terror  was  established,  which  rendered  a man  fearful 
of  his  own  thoughts,  lest  they  should  escape  him ; and  the 
convention  established  a scrutinising  inquisition,  called  the 
Re  volutionary  Tribunal;  by  which  they  often  exe- 
cuted persons  whose  thoughts  were  detected  by  the  auk- 
ward  means  they  took  to  conceal  them. 


CHAPTER  V. 

Although  the  evil  genius  of  the  English  ministry  pre- 
vented them  from  sending  any  auxiliary  force  to  the  ports 
in  the  channel,  the  contiguity  of  which  to  their  shores,  would 
have  enabled  them  to  have  poured  in  supplies  enough  to 
have  encouraged  and  collected  all  the  insurgents  before 
the  convention  were  prepared  for  resistance  ; the  chance  of 
getting  possession  of  a French  fleet  was  too  powerful  a 
temptation  to  permit  them  to  refuse  a similar  invitation  from 


6i 


THE  LTFE  OF 


the  inhabitants  of  Toulon.  By  an  arrangement  entered  iu^ 
to  between  certain  commissioners  from  that  port  and  Mar- 
seilles, on  the  part  of  their  fellow-citizens,  and  lord  Hood, 
on  behalf  of  Great  Britain,  it  was  agreed  that  those  ports 
should  be  delivered  up  bv  the  inhabitants  to  the  English, 
to  be  retained  until  peace  should  take  place  ; and  in  the 
event  of  the  monarchy  being  restored,  then  to  be  returned 
to  France. 

After  some  resistance  on  the  part  of  the  French  fleet  in 
the  harbour  of  Toulon,  which  was  occasioned  by  a difference 
between  admirals  Trogoff  and  St.  Julien,  its  commanders, 
a part  of  the  English  troops  were  landed  ; but  scarcely  had 
they  taken  possession  of  the  place  and  the  fleet,  when  Bar- 
ras  and  Freron,  the  two  national  commissioners  at  Mar- 
seilles, made  incredible  exertions  to  regain  Toulon.  The 
convention  eagerly  co-operated,  by  transmitting  enormous 
sums  to  the  southern  departments,  for  the  raising  and  equip- 
ping an  immense  multitude  of  new  battalions. 

Some  skirmishing  ensued  between  the  French  and  Eng- 
lish troops,  which  ended  in  the  French  obtaining  one  of  the 
advanced  posts,  and  compelling  the  coalesced  forces  to  con- 
centrate themselves  within  the  forts  that  protected  the  place. 
The  English  erected  redoubts  on  all  the  heights,  and  fur- 
nished them  with  the  cannon  taken  from  the  lower  decks  of 
the  French  line  of  battle  ships,  and  large  reinforcements  of 
Spanish,  Sardinian,  and  Sicilian  troops  arrived  to  the  suc- 
cour of  the  garrison. 

Barras  ancl  Freron,  commissioners  from  the  convention, 
assembled  all  the  young  men  in  requisition  from  the  depart- 
ments ; they  were  supplied  with  an  immense  quantity  of 
artillery,  and  a reinforcement  of  25,000  troops  were  order- 
ed from  Lyons.  Each  army  was  employed  in  attacking 
and  defending  detached  posts;  and  the  heights  of  La 
Grasse  were  defended  by  heavy  cannon,  dragged  up  a very 
steep  ascent  with  infinite  labour  and  extraordinary  dispatch. 

The  French  were  equally  indefatigable  in  the  night  of 
the  30th  of  September;  they  made  an  attack  on  fort  Faron 
and  succeeded.  So  important  was  the  possession  of  this 
post,  which  was  abandoned  by  the  Spanish  garrison,  that  ! 
it  was,  even  at  that  period,  calculated  to  render  the  posses- 
sion of  Toulon  precarious.  A council  of  officers  immedi- 
ately assembled,  and  it  was  determined  to  re-obtain  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


65 


redoubt.  An  obstinate  engagement  was  fought,  and  the 
French  upon  the  heights,  at  length  abandoned  Faron;  and 
not  more  than  a fourth  of  their  number  returned  to  head- 
quarters ; lor  those  who  did  not  foil  by  the  bullet  or  bayo- 
net, broke  their  necks  in  tumbling  headlong  over  the  pre- 
cipices in  their  flight.  The  English  afterwards  succeeded 
in  destroying  two  new  batteries  which  were  likely  to  annoy 
the  fleet ; but  such  was  the  ardour  and  perseverance  of  the 
French,  that  a detachment  under  Lapoype,  stormed  and 
took  possession  of  the  heights  of  Cape  Brun.  The  success 
of  this  event,  acquired  by  superiority  of  numbers,  rendered 
the  fate  of  the  garrison  daily  more  hazardous. 

At  length,  Napoleon  Buonaparte,  who  had  re-entered 
the  corps  of  artillery,  and  served  in  it  as  a lieutenant,  was  re- 
commended by  his  countryman  Salicetti,  the  deputy  from 
Corsica,  and  one  of  the  national  commissioners  with  the 
army  at  Toulon,  to  Barras,  who  immediately  promoted 
him  to  the  rank  of  general,  and  gave  him  the  command 
of  the  artillery  destined  for  the  reduction  of  the  arse- 
nal. The  event  justified  the  prudence  of  the  appointment, 
for  our  hero  contributed,  by  his  military  talents,  greatly  to 
effect  the  decision  of  both  the  fate  of  Toulon  and  of  France. 

The  first  military  operation  of  Buonaparte  was  decisive 
of  success.  Seeing  that  the  possession  of  Malbousquet, 
one  of  the  principal  outposts  of  Toulon,  would  enable  him 
to  bombard  the  town  and  arsenal,  he  opened  a strong  batte- 
ry of  heavy  cannon  and  mortars  on  the  height  of  Arenes, 
which  annoyed  that  position  exceedingly,  by  means  of  an 
incessant  fire  of  shot  and  shells.  Governor  O’Hara  ob- 
serving the  necessity  of  taking  immediate  and  effectual 
measures  for  the  security  of  so  important  a post,  determin- 
ed to  destroy  the  new  works,  which  were  termed  the  con- 
vention battery,  and  carry  off  the  artillery. 

Having  procured  & reinforcement  of  seamen  from  the 
i fleet,  to  defend  a post,  from  which  he  proposed  to  withdraw 
some  British  soldiers  ; at  five  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the 
! 30th  of  November,  a corps  of  4-00  British,  3(  0 Sardinians, 
600  Neapolitans,  600  Spaniards,  and  400  French,  marched 
from  the  town,  under  the  command  of  sir  David  Dundas. 

' Notwithstanding  they  were  obliged  to  cross  the  new  river, 
on  one  bridge  only,  to  divide  afterwards  into  lour  columns, 
to  march  across  olive  grounds,  intersected  by  stone  walls, 

9 


&6 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  to  ascend  a very  considerable  height,  cut  into  vine 
terraces,  they  succeeded  in  surprising  the  redoubt  ; — • 
but,  instead  of  forming  upon  and  occupying  the  long  and 
narrow  summit  of  the  hill,  agreeable  to  orders  and  military 
prudence,  after  having  effected  all  the  objects  of  the  expe- 
dition ; they  impetuously  followed  the  French  troops,  de- 
scended the  heights,  ascended  other  distant  heights,  and  at 
length  were  compelled  to  retreat,  by  the  French,  who  sud- 
denly profited  by  their  disorder,  and  obliged  them  to  relin- 
quish the  advantages  they  had  at  first  obtained.  General 
O'Hara,  who  had  ascended  the  battery  as  soon  as  the  French 
were  dispossessed,  and  when  he  supposed  the  object  of  the 
day  had  been  obtained,  arrived  in  time  to  witness  the  sud- 
den reverse,  and  to  be  wounded  and  made  prisoner  by  the 
French.  His  wound,  though  not  dangerous,  had  bled 
much,  and,  added  to  the  exertions  he  had  before  made,  he 
was  so  far  weakened  that  he  could  not  retire  many  paces  with 
the  troops,  but  insisted  on  being  left  by  two  soldiers  who 
were  conducting  him,  and  whom  he  ordered  to  proceed  and 
save  themselves. 

The  expectations  of  the  besiegers  were  much  raised  by 
this  event,  they  began  to  make  nearer  approaches  to  the 
town  ; and  by  means  of  their  batteries,  not  only  attacked 
several  important  posts,  but  threatened  a general  assault. — 
The  garrison  was  in  a very  alarming  situation  ; the  French 
army,  which  amounted  to  near  40,000  men,  was  constantly 
increasing,  and  commanded  by  an  intrepid  and  able  gener- 
al ; and  their  batteries  were  managed  under  the  direction 
of  Buonaparte  ; who,  though  a mere  youth,  displayed  the 
most  cool  and  dauntless  courage.  The  allied  troops  never 
exceeded  12,000  rank  and  file,  and  were  now  greatly  dimin- 
ished by  disease  and  death  : they  were  composed  of  the  na- 
tives of  five  different  nations,  from  whom  an  entire  and  firm 
co-operation  could  not,  from  the  difference  of  their  language 
and  other  obvious  causes,  be  expected.  These  had  to  de- 
fend a circumference  of  fifteen  miles,,  including  eight  prin- 
cipal and  intermediate  posts,  which  alone  required  9,000 
men. 

The  siege  was  now  pursued  with  increased  vigour.  The 
French  relieved  such  of  their  troops  as  were  fatigued,  and 
at  two  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  17th  of  December, 
opened-  two  new  batteries  on  fort  Mulgrave ; and  from 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


67 


these,  and  three  former  ones,  continued  a very  heavy  can- 
nonade and  bombardment,  which  killed  many  of  the  troops 
and  destroyed  the  works.  The  weather  proving  rainy,  they 
secretly  assembled  a large  body  of  forces,  with  which  they 
stormed  the  fortification,  and  entered  with  screwed  bayonets, 
on  the  side  defended  by  the  Spaniards,  upon  which  the 
British  and  other  troops  were  obliged  to  retire  towards  the 
shore  of  Balaquier. 

At  day-break  another  attack  took  place  on  all  the  posts 
occupied  by  the  garrison  on  the  mountain  of  Faron.  They 
were  repulsed  however,  on  the  east  side,  by  about  700  men, 
commanded  by  colonel  Jermagnan,  a Piedmontese  officer, 
who  perished  on  the  occasion  ; but  they  found  means  to 
penetrate  by  the  back  of  the  mountain,  although  1,800  feet 
high,  and  deemed  inaccessible,  so  as  to  occupy  the  side 
which  overlooks  Toulon.  In  this  day’s  fight  the  English 
troops  conducted  themselves  with  great  bravery  ; while  the 
French,  invigorated  by  their  enthusiasm,  and  trusting  to 
their  numbers,  charged  with  unusual  intrepidity  and  suc- 
cess* The  deputy  Arena,  who  was  a Corsican,  headed  one 
of  their  columns ; and  general  Cervoni,  a subject  of  the 
king  of  Sardinia,  particularly  distinguished  himself. 

The  new  general,  Buonaparte,  signalized  himself  on 
several  occasions  by  a promptitude  of  exertion  which  mark- 
ed him  for  one  of  the  ablest  candidates  for  military  glory 
and  renown.  It  is  stated  that,  in  the  midst  of  the  engage- 
ment, Barras  found  fault  with  the  direction  of  a gun,  which 
had  been  pointed  under  the  order  of  Buonaparte  : the  young 
general  requested  he  would  attend  to  his  duty  as  a national 
commissioner  ; “ I will  do  my  duty,”  said  he,  “ according 
to  my  own  judgment,  and  be  answerable  for  the  consequen- 
ces with  my  head.”  Nor  friend  nor  foe  were  capable  of  in- 
ducing him  to  forego  any  purpose  which  he  had  planned. 

The  genius  and  talents  of  Buonaparte  were  developed  by 
this  siege;  it  Was  a stage  worthy  of  his  action,  and  the  re- 
membrance of  his  exertions  at  this  important  period,  was 
serviceable  to  his  future  advancement  in  the  armies  of  the 
republic. 

During  the  siege  of  Toulon,  a conflict  equally  sanguina- 
ry, took  place  at  Lyons ; but  the  people  of  this  place  pro- 
ceeded with  more  caution,  for  they  maintained  the  indivisi- 
bility of  the  republic,  and  professed  the  warmest  attach- 


68 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ment  to  the  convention,  at  the  time  that  they  were  collecting 
troops,  with  the  greatest  activity,  to  repel  any  army  that 
might  be  sent  against  them,  when  they  should  think  proper 
to  show  their  insurgency.  The  chief  inhabitants  were  per- 
sons who  had  obtained  wealth  by  trade  and  manufactures, 
who  were  desirous  of  enjoy  ing  their  property  in  ease  and 
safety,  and  were  but  little  solicitous  about  the  triumph  of 
liberty.  Many  of  the  ancient  nobles,  and  a multitude  of 
emigrants  and  priests  were  sheltered  there  ; and  the  crimes 
of  the  violent  demagogues,  who  arrogated  to  themselves  the 
name  of  patriots,  tended  to  excite  in  Lyons  a powerful  in- 
surrection. 

The  scenes  we  have  mentioned  were  truly  tragical  and 
terrible  ; but  so  trivial  did  they  appear  in  the  eyes  of  the 
convention,  that  they  were,  almost  at  the  same  instant,  amu- 
sing themselves  with  an  alteration  of  the  calendar,  dividing 
the  year  into  twelve  months  of  thirty  days  each,  and  confer- 
ring on  the  five  intercalary  days  the  odd  epithet  of  sans- 
culottides , afterwards  complimentary  days.  Each  month 
was  divided  into  three  decades,  or  periods  of  ten  days,  and 
the  tenth,  not  the  seventh,  was  appointed  to  be  a day  of  rest. 
They  made  the  republican  year  to  commence  on  the  23d 
of  September ; the  anniversary  of  the  convention  entering 
upon  its  functions,  began  the  republican  era  from  that  day, 
dated  all  their  public  acts  subsequent  to  that  period. 

It  was  enacted,  about  the  same  time,  that  every  priest 
found  in  arms  against  the  interest  of  the  republic  should  be 
punished  as  a traitor ; and  that  all  men  of  this  profession 
under  sixty  years  of  age  should  be  banished  to  French  Gui- 
ana, if  they  had  not  previously  taken  the  oaths  prescribed 
by  the  constitution. 

Dreadfully  have  mankind  exclaimed  against  the  impiety 
and  infidelity  of  the  French,  and  they  gave  too  much  reason 
for  the  charge.  On  the  7th  of  November,  1794,  the  repub- 
lican bishop  of  Paris,  M.  Gobet,  his  vicars,  and  different 
other  members  of  the  ecclesiastical  body,  entered  the  hall 
of  the  convention,  where  they  made  a solemn  surrender  of 
their  offices,  and  of  the  Christian  religion,  at  the  same  time. 
Only  one,  of  the  name  of  Gregoire,  (bishop  of  Blois,)  had 
the  magnanimity  to  confess  himself  a Christian,  while  he  de- 
clared that  he  was  ready  to  sacrifice  the  emoluments  of  his 
office  to  the  good  of  the  republic.  The  attempts  to  anni* 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


69 


hilate  religion,  and  establish  pagan  absurdity  in  its  place, 
did  not,  we  must  allow,  meet  with  the  approbation  of  the 
people  at  large.  To  the  honour  of  Frenchmen  be  it  spo- 
ken, this  measure  was  highly  unpopular.  Hebert  and  Fabre 
d’ Eglantine  were  supposed  to  be  the  grand  promoters  of 
this  blasphemous  step,  by  which  they  accelerated  their  own 
destruction,  and  Robespierre  made  himself  remarkably  pop- 
ular by  his  defence  of  religion.  By  a decree  of  the  com- 
mune, the  churches  were  ordered  to  be  shut  up,  but  so 
highly  irritated  were  the  people  of  Paris  at  such  a proce- 
dure, that  they  were  obliged  to  reverse  it  on  the  1st  of  De- 
cember, when  Barrere  proclaimed  the  freedom  of  religious 
worship.  It  appears  from  this,  that  the  charge  of  infidelity 
^ is  wholly  unfounded,  when  brought  against  the  people  of 
France  in  general ; and  it  some  leading  men  among  them 
were  tinctured  with  atheism,  the  same  may  be  said  of  every 
country  upon  earth.  Because  there  are  numbers  of  infi- 
dels in  this  country,  it  would  be  unjust  for  that  reason  to 
pronounce  the  kingdom  of  Great  Britain  a nation  of  athe- 
ists. The  schocking  decree  of  the  7th  of  November  was, 
in  some  degree  compensated  by  an  act  of  the  15th,  which 
abolished  for  ever  the  immoral  and  disgraceful  practice  of 
lotteries. 

About  the  tenth  of  July  the  French  armies  of  the  North, 
Sambre  and  Meuse,  effected  a junction  at  Brussels,  and  ob- 
tained an  immense  quantity  of  stores,  as  well  as  magazines, 
during  their  rapid  and  almost  uninterrupted  career.  The 
luxuriant  crops  of  the  Netherlands  were  then  upon  the 
ground  ; and  the  republicans  levied  on  the  corporations, 
and  particularly  the  monks,  considerable  contributions  of 
money  and  corn.  Nieuport  gallantly  resisted  till  the  19th, 
although  during  the  whole  period  of  the  blockade,  it  was 
dreadfully  bombarded  by  an  army  of  30,000  men. 

His  royal  highness,  the  duke  of  York,  about  this  period 
received  from  the  prince  of  Cobourg  a letter,  in  which, 
speaking  of  the  allied  powers,  he  uses  this  memorable  ex- 
pression : “We  are  (or  seem  to  be)  bewitched.”  He 
certainly  could  not  have  more  forcibly  expressed  the  total 
want  of  system  in  their  co-operations.  Neither  skill,  cour- 
age, or  experience  on  the  part  of  the  commanders  were  of 
avail  in  the  execution  of  these  ill-concerted  operations. 

The  prince  of  Orange  was  stationed  at  Waterloo,  but 


70 


THE  LIFE  OF 


on  account  of  the  strong  reinforcements  which  the  enemy 
were  constantly  receiving,  he  soon  found  this  post  no  longer 
tenable,  and  on  the  16th  he  retreated  across  the  Doyle,  with 
considerable  loss.  He  fixed  his  head-quarters  at  Niel, 
where  the  French  did  notallow  him  to  continue  long.  Their 
victories,  promptitude  and  courage,  rendered  them  invinci- 
ble to  the  armies  of  the  allies.  The  stadtholder  invited  the 
Dutch,  by  repeated  proclamations,  to  give  every  tenth  man 
for  the  service  of  his  country,  to  humble  the  pride  ol'France ; 
but  which  his  subjects  listened  to  with  much  coldness  and 
indifference. 

In  the  mean  time,  general  Kleber  took  his  route  from 
Brussels  towards  Louvain,  on  the  15th  of  July,  having  one 
division  under  his  command ; to  favour  which  movement, 
Lefevre,  Dubois,  Championet,  and  Morlet,  continued  their 
march  in  the  front  of  the  Doyle.  At  a place  denominated 
the  Iron  Mountain,  general  Clairfait  attempted  to  stop  the 
progress  of  the  enemy,  but  was  totally  defeated,  with  the 
loss  of  6,000  men,  in  killed,  wounded,  and  prisoners.  The 
abbey  of  Florival  was  seized  upon  by  generals  Dubois  and 
Lefevre,  while  Kleber  attacked  Louvain,  with  the  advanced 
guard  of  his  army,  which,  after  a gallant  resistance,  was 
compelled  to  surrender.  In  the  rapid  retreat  of  the  Austri- 
ans towards  Tirlemont,  before  the  victorious  republicans 
under  the  command  of  Lefevre,  they  lost  a prodigious  num- 
ber of  men  in  killed  and  taken  prisoners. 

The  defence  of  Namur  was  seriously  intended  by  the 
combined  powers,  but  the  career  of  the  enemy  was  so  as- 
tonishing (and  as  little  minds  seldom  anticipate  great  results, 
so  unexpected)  that  the  execution  of  their  plan  became 
wholly  impracticable.  Namur  was,  therefore,  evacuated  in 
the  night  of  the  16th,  by  general  Beaulieu,  and,  on  the  20th 
the  keys  of  it  were  presented  at  the  bar  of  the  convention. 

The  armies  of  the  republic  at  the  same  period,  forced 
the  famous  pass  at  the  town  of  Lier,  which  was  defended  by 
general  Waimoden  ; and  they  dispatched  a trumpeter  to 
Antwerp,  to  announce  their  rapid  march,  and  a design  of 
entering  that  city.  On  the  24th  they  obtained  possession 
of  Antwerp  without  trouble  or  opposition,  and  found  im- 
mense magazines  of  hay,  and  thirty  pieces  of  cannon,  not- 
withstanding the  combined  powers  had  destroyed  magazines 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  1l 

of  forage,  prior  to  their  departure,  which  were  valued  at 
half  a million  sterling. 

The  retreat  of  the  Austrians  from  Louvain,  left  the  whole 
territory  of  Liege  exposed  to  the  incursions  of  the  intrepid 
Jourdan.  He  pressed  the  enemy  closely  to  Maestricht, 
when  his  advanced  guard  proceeded,  on  the  27th,  towards 
the  river  Jaar,  at  which  time  the  combined  armv  was  sta- 
tioned  before  Liege,  where  it  resisted  the  cannonade  of  the 
French  for  some  time,  but  was  at  length  obliged  to  retreat 
with  loss.  The  republicans  entered  Liege,  while  the  allies 
entrenched  themselves  on  the  heights  of  Chartreux. 

During  these  transactions,  the  allies  were  under  the  ne- 
cesssity  of  abandoning  fort  Lillo,  on  the  river  Scheldt, 
while  general  Moreau  made  himself  master  of  the  island  of 
Cadsand,  in  which  were  found  seventy  pieces  of  cannon, 
one  third  of  which  were  brass,  besides  a great  number  of 
tents  and  waggons,  with  a vast  quantity  of  military  and 
other  stores.  General  Almain,  summoned  the  garrison  of 
Sluys  to  surrender ; but  Vanderdugan  replied,  “ the  honour 
of  defending  a place  like  Sluys,  that  of  commanding  a brave 
-garrison,  and  the  confidence  they  repose  in  me,  are  my  an- 
swer.” This  brave  officer  sustained  the  incessant  assaults 
of  the  besiegers  till  the  25th  of  August,  at  which  period 
he  surrendered.  The  whole  garrison  were  made  prisoners, 
but  the  French  general  permitted  them  to  march  out  with 
the  honours  of  war,  in  testimony  of  the  gallant  defence  they 
had  made.  The  armies  of  the  Rhine  and  Moselle  had  also 
their  share  of  glory.  General  Michaud  gave  the  Austri- 
ans and  Prussians  battle  at  Spires.  A dreadful  and  sangui- 
nary conflict  ensued,  and  victory  appeared  doubtful.  Early 
the  next  day  the  French  engaged  the  Prussians  with  still 
greater  vigour,  and  carried  by  assault,  after  seven  attacks,  the 
important  posts  which  the  Prussians  had  fortified  on  the. 
summit  of  Platoberg,  said  to  be  the  loftiest  mountain  in  the 
territory  of  Deux  Ponts.  Here  the  republicans  obtained 
possession  of  nine  guns,  independent  of  ammunition,  wag- 
gons, horses,  and  a number  of  prisoners.  The  remainder 
of  the  Prussian  troops,  commanded  by  the  prince  of  Hohen- 
lohe,  retreated  to  Edickhoffen.  AtTripstadt,  after  a severe 
and  bloody  contest,  the  French  were  completely  victorious,, 
and  took  possession  of  two  howitzers,  with  six  pieces  of. 
cannon. 


72 


THE  LIFE  OF 


On  the  afternoon  of  the  15th  a still  more  brilliant  en- 
gagement took  place.  The  French  attacked  every  post 
belonging  to  the  enemy,  from  Newstadt  to  the  Rhine,  (a 
distance  of  about  17  miles,)  along  the  river  Rebach.  A 
heavy  cannonade  was  commenced  at  two  o’clock,  and  con- 
tinued till  eight  in  the  evening,  at  which  time  the  troops 
of  the  emperor  retreated  with  the  utmost  precipitation  and 
disorder,  and  effected  the  passage  of  the  Rhine,  while  the 
Prussians,  under  prince  Hohenlohe,  retreated  towards  Gun- 
tersblum,  and  another  detachment  towards  Mentz.  Keis- 
erslautern  surrendered  to  the  French  without  any  opposi- 
tion. 

The  army  of  the  Moselle  having  marched  in  three  sep- 
arate columns,  engaged  to  meet  together  at  Treves  at  the 
same  hour.  In  their  route  they  attacked  and  carried  ma- 
ny posts  belonging  to  the  allies,  fulfilling  their  engagement 
on  the  8th,  by  meeting  on  a spacious  plain,  and  immediate- 
ly surrounding  Treves.  The  Imperial  troops  having  de- 
serted the  city  in  the  greatest  hurry  and  confusion,  one  of 
the  columns  entered  in  the  afternoon  ; the  magistrates,  in 
the  insignia  of  their  office,  presenting  them,  at  the  gates, 
with  the  keys. 

The  republicans  determined  to  retake  the  garrisons  they 
had  previously  conquered,  and  which  had  been  again  sub- 
dued by  the  allies.  General  Scherer  laid  siege  to  Landre- 
cy,  but  before  he  fired  a gun,  peremptorily  summoned  the 
town  to  surrender,  and  failed  not  at  the  same  time  to  ac- 
quaint the  garrison  that  no  terms  of  capitulation  would  be 
accepted.  On  the  15th,  therefore,  the  garrison,  consisting 
of  2,000  men,  complied,  and  117  pieces  of  cannon  were 
found  in  the  place.  Quesnoy  followed  the  example  of 
Landrecy.  It  was  defended  by  3,000  men;  and  the  re- 
publicans found  in  it  vast  quantities  of  arms,  ammunition, 
and  provisions,  together  with  119  pieces  of  cannon. 

On  the  26th  Valenciennes  also  fell  into  the  hands  of  the 
French.  The  republicans  here  found  immense  stores  of 
every  description,  together  with  1,000  cattle,  200  pieces  of 
cannon,  1,000,000  pounds  of  gunpowder,  3,000,000  of 
florins  in  specie,  6,500,000  of  livres,  and  vast  quantities  of 
oats  and  other  corn,  which  perhaps  might  be  estimated  at 
1,000,000  sterling.  His  Imperial  Majesty  had  expended 
not  less  than  3,000,000  on  the  fortifications,  but  it  treache- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


73 


rou sly  surrendered  by  capitulation.  The  allies  upon  this 
occasion  delivered  up  near  1,000  emigrants  to  the  implaca- 
ble hatred  and  vengeance  of  their  countrymen  ! The  policy 
is  detestable  which  affords  protection  to  men  so  unfortu- 
nately circumstanced,  and  betrays  them  in  the  moment  of 
danger. 

The  surrender  of  Conde  immediately  followed.  The 
garrison  consisted  of  1,600  men,  who  surrendered  as  pris- 
oners of  war  ; and  in  addition  to  the  vast  quantities  of  pro- 
vision it  contained,  the  French  found  161  pieces  of  cannon, 

6.000  muskets,  independent  of  those  in  the  garrison ; 

300.000  pounds  of  gunpowder,  100,000  bombs,  balls,  and 
shells;  1,500,000  cartridges,  600,000  pounds  of  lead,  and 
191  waggons  with  stores  and  provisions.  The  fortifica- 
tions stood  in  no  need  of  repair  ; and  the  garrison  had  room 
for  a much  greater  number  of  men. 

The  British  army,  on  retreating  from  Antwerp,  took  its 
route  towards  Breda.  The  right  column  went  through  the 
city  on  the  4th  of  August,  and  the  left  marched  round  it, 
for  the  purpose  of  occupying  a position  about  four  miles 
distant,  to  wait  the  issue  of  events,  and  co-operate  with  the 
garrison.  In  the  mean  time  the  prince  of  Orange  was  in- 
cessantly employed  in  putting  the  town  and  garrison  in  the 
best  situation  for  defence,  which,  it  was  reasonable  to  be- 
lieve, would  be  powerfully  assisted  against  the  enemy  by 
the  duke  of  York’s  army,  at  that  time  consisting  of  25,000 
men.  The  duke,  however,  retreated  from  Breda  towards 
Bois-le-Duc,  in  the  end  of  August,  meeting  with  little  or 
no  opposition  from  the  enemy. 

In  the  beginning  of  September,  general  Pichegru  appear- 
ed at  the  head  of  80,000  men.  The  republicans  forced 
the  posts  on  the  Dommel  and  the  village  of  Boxtel  on  the 
24th,  with  their  advanced  guard.  His  royal  highness  re- 
treated across  the  Meuse  on  the  16th,  and  occupied  a po- 
sition about  three  miles  from  Greve.  In  the  attack  of  the 
republicans  on  the  above  mentioned  posts,  the  Dutch  state 
that  the  allies  lost  2,000  men,  and  add,  that  the  duke  of 
York’s  retreat  gave  such  an  easy  passage  into  Holland,  alter 
crossing  the  Meuse,  in  the  vicinity  of  Bommei,  that  an  ene- 
my possessed  of  much  less  courage  and  intrepidity  than  the 
French  would  have  readily  undertaken  it. 

No  sooner  were  the  Netherlands  evacuated,  than  the 

10 


74 


THE  LIFE  OF 


prince  of  Cobourg  employed  all  his  efforts,  by  virtue  of  a 
proclamation,  to  rouse  the  circles  of  Germany  to  make  a 
desperate  effort  in  the  vindication  of  Germanic  liberty.  He 
frankly  confessed  that  the  resources  of  the  French  were  in- 
exhaustible, and  their  forces  innumerable.  He  declared 
that  if  they  did  not  come  boldly  forward,  and  assist  to  the 
utmost  of  their  power  in  repelling  the  invaders,  he  would 
pass  the  Rhine,  leaving  them  and  their  property  to  be  plun- 
dered by  the  republicans.  This  manifesto  produced  no 
more  effect  than  a similar  manifesto  of  the  stadtholder,  who 
declared,  that  “ such  an  enemy  could  not  be  opposed  by 
scanty  contributions  ; and  that  the  force  that  should  be  op- 
posed to  them  required  the  greatest  efforts.” 

This,  however,  was  not  the  season  for  issuing  manifes- 
toes, after  the  French  had  been  so  eminently  victorious  in 
almost  every  quarter ; but  the  emperor  thought  himself 
under  an  equal  necessity  to  try  the  experiment.  He  ac- 
knowledged that  his  resources  were  wholly  inadequate  to 
the  task  of  combating  such  an  enemy  with  any  hope  of 
success.  He  seemed  to  feel  indignant  at  the  conduct  of  his 
Prussian  majesty,  in  accepting  a subsidy  from  Great  Britain, 
and  neglecting  so  shamefully  to  fulfil  his  compact.  He 
declared,  that  such  was  the  prodigious  strength  of  the 
French  armies,  and  so  inconceivably  rapid  their  march,  that 
he  found  it  absolutely  necessary  to  withdraw  his  forces  front 
the  unavailing  contest,  and  employ  them  in  defending  the 
frontiers  of  his  own  dominions.  Although  this  melancholy 
picture  had  no  effect  on  the  circles  of  Germany,  notwith- 
standing they  were  so  near  the  scene  of  action,  it  gave  no 
small  degree  of  alarm  to  the  British  cabinet.  Earl  Spencer 
and  the  honourable  Thomas  Grenville  were  immediately  dis- 
patched to  the  court  of  Vienna,  to  implore  the  emperor  not 
to  recede  from  the  coalition.  They  were,  at  length,  suc- 
cessful, and  the  prediction  was  verified,  that  “ the  subsidis- 
ing of  Prussia  would  induce  other  powers  to  make  a dupe 
of  this  country,  and  only  continue  the  war  upon  similar 
conditions.”  This  regulation  having  been  effected,,  the 
prince  of  Saxe  Cobourg  was  dismissed  from  his  command, 
and  took  leave  of  his  army  in  a most  pathetic  address. 

In  the  beginning  of  September  the  Austrians  under  gen- 
eral Latour,  were  strongly  intrenched  in  the  vicinity  of 
Liege;  and  two  fortified  camps  were  occupied  by  18,000 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


75 

wien  on  the  right  side  of  the  river  Ay  waille,  whose  banks 
had  also  the  natural  defence  of  very  steep  rocks.  The  re- 
publicans, who,  on  the  18th,  attacked,  in  four  columns,  the 
whole  of  the  enemy’s  line  from  the  Ay  waille,  carried  all  the 
passages  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  and  took  possession  of 
the  camps  at  full  charge.  The  loss  sustained  by  the  Aus- 
trians, upon  this  occasion,  amounted  to  2, GOO  men  killed, 
700  prisoners,  26  pieces  of  cannon,  three  pairs  of  colours, 
100  horses,  and  forty  ammunition  waggons,  together  with 
the  general’s  own  carriage,  his  secretary  and  his  papers. 
General  Clairfait,  then  posted  between  Liege  and  Maes- 
tricht,  sent  eighteen  battalions  for  the  support  of  the  left 
wing  of  Latour,  by  which  opportune  assistance  he  was  ena- 
bled, on  the  night  of  the  18th,  to  collect  the  scattered  frag- 
ments of  his  army.  The  French  again  gave  him  battle  on 
the  ensuing  day,  and  he  was  under  the  necessity  of  retreat- 
ing to  Herve,  after  the  loss  of  all  his  artillery. 

General  Clairfait  being  no  longer  able  to  maintain  his  po- 
sition, retreated  to  Juiiers ; and,  on  the  21st,  the  French 
made  their  triumphant  entrance  into  Aix-la-Chapelle.  The 
day  prior  to  this  event  an  engagement  took  place  between  a 
division  of  the  republican  army  and  the  Austrian  rear- guard, 
at  Clermont,  which  is  only  worthy  of  notice  to  display  one 
of  those  surprising  instances  of  inconsistency  discovered 
between  different  official  accounts.  According  to  the  state- 
ment of  general  Clairfait,  the  French  lost  2,000  men,  and 
the  Austrians  only  30  killed  and  300  wounded  ; while  the 
republican  commissioner  Gillett,  states  the  loss  of  the  Aus- 
trians at  800  men,  and  their  own  at  only  9 killed,  and  12 
wounded. 

The  position  of  Clairfait  at  Juiiers,  was  taken  with  that 
judgment  and  military  knowledge  for  which  he  has  always 
been  eminently  distinguished ; but  the  French,  on  the  29th, 
crossed  the  Roer,  and  gave  battle  to  the  whole  posts  of  the 
brave,  but  unfortunate,  Austrian  commander,  which  ex- 
tended from  Ruremonde  to  Juiiers  and  Duren,  a distance 
of  32  miles.  The  conflict  between  the  hostile  armies  was 
terrible,  and  continued  during  the  whole  of  the  29 th  and 
30th  of  September,  and  on  the  1st  and  2d  of  October,  but 
on  the  3d,  victory  declared  in  lavour  of  the  republicans. 
Clairfait  being  no  longer  able  to  maintain  the  combat,  and 
having  suffered  a dreadful  loss,  he  took  advantage  of  a fog, 


76 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  effect  his  retreat.  The  city  of  Juliers  immediately  sur- 
rendered, the  arsenal  of  which  was  abundantly  supplied ; 
the  French  found  in  it  60  pieces  of  cannon,  together  with 

50.000  pounds  of  gunpowder.  The  Austrian  general 
could  only  retreat  in  the  greatest  confusion,  so  that  he  lost 
prodigious  numbers  of  men  in  retreating  as  well  as  fighting. 
They  were  estimated  by  the  French  at  5,000,  including 
700  prisoners  ; and  the  Dutch  official  accounts  stated  the 
whole  loss  of  the  allies,  during  the  action  and  retreat,  at 

13.000  men. 

Cologne  was  taken  possession  of  by  the  French  on  the 
6th  of  October,  and  they  were  received  by  the  inhabitants 
with  every  demonstration  of  joy.  Venlo  and  Nuys  also 
surrendered,  and  many  vessels  on  the  rivers,  laden  with 
useful  and  valuable  articles,  were  captured.  Fifty  chas- 
seurs entered  Bonn  on  the  morning  of  the  7th,  who,  on  the 
evening  of  the  same  day,  were  followed  by  3,000  more. 

Coblentz  had  become  odious  to  the  republicans,  as  being 
earliest  and  most  forward  in  harbouring  the  emigrants.  The 
allies  were  engaged  for  the  space  of  two  months  in  erecting 
very  formidable  redoubts  before  it.  In  October  general 
Jourdan  sent  general  Marceau  to  Coblentz,  with  the  divi- 
sion under  his  command,  who  fell  in  with  the  hussars  of 
the  allies  on  the  22d,  when  he  vigorously  engaged  them, 
killed  vast  numbers,  and  took  50  prisoners.  On  the  ensu- 
ing day  he  carried  the  redoubts  with  his  infantry,  by  assault, 
and  completely  turned  them  by  his  cavalry,  which  obliged 
the  Austrians  to  repass  the  Rhine  in  the  greatest  confusion. 
The  republican  army  of  the  Rhine  was  also  marching  from 
victory  to  victory.  Frankendal  submitted  to  the  French  on 
the  17th  of  October,  and  the  next  day  they  made  their  tri- 
umphant entrance  into  the  city  of  Worms.  The  army  of 
the  Moselle  likewise  made  a conquest  of  Bingen,  from 
which  capture  the  siege  of  Mentz  may  be  considered  as 
begun. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


77 


CHAPTER  VI. 

During  the  time  that  the  French  arms  were  victorious 
in  every  part  of  the  continent  of  Europe,  to  which  they 
had  been  borne,  and  whilst  they  were  “ conquering  peace,” 
with  Prussia,  Spain,  Hesse  Cassel,  and  Hanover  ; when  ev- 
ery continental  power  with  whom  they  warred,  seemed 
either  paralized  by  imbecility,  or  maddened  to  exertion  by 
frenzy,  and  France  herself  was  daily  acquiring  immense 
physical  strength,  and  adding  new  states  to  her  dominion  ; 
whilst  the  republican  troops  were  taking  possession  of  the 
Low  Countries,  the  stadtholder  and  his  family  flying  for 
refuge  to  the  British  shores,  and  the  British  army  retreating 
before  the  French,  who  pursued  them  through  Holland,  the 
English  cabinet  were  deeply  engaged  in  directing  the  con- 
quest and  annexation  of  the  island  of  Corsica  to  the  crown 
of  Great  Britain. 

Seven  cities  disputed  for  the  honour  of  having  given  birth 
to  Homer.  The  favoured  city,  and  its  remembrance  are 
alike  sepultured  by  the  operations  of  time  ; and  the  enthu- 
siast of  ancient  poesy  laments,  that  he  knows  not  where 
to  place  his  foot,  and  to  exclaim  with  certainty,  “ Here  was 
born  the  father  of  Greek  poetry,  and  the  most  exalted  gen- 
ius that  the  world  hath  seen.”  The  reverence  and  esteem 
which  we  entertain  for  the  wise  and  the  good,  our  admira- 
tion of  the  hero,  and  our  love  of  the  patriot,  our  veneration 
of  the  moralist,  and  our  respect  for  the  philosopher,  attach 
us  to  the  localities  that  are  marked  by  some  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances of  their  career.  Their  birth-place,  the  scenes 
where  they  spent  their  youth,  or  where  they  declined  in 
their  age,  the  apartments  in  which  they  were  cradled,  or  the 
tombs  which  received  their  remains,  exceedingly  interest 
our  feelings,  and  excite  the  fondest  remembrances.  So 
also  our  hatred  of  the  bad,  our  detestation  of  the  tyrant, 
and  our  contempt  for  the  weak  and  the  foolish,  induce  in 
us  corresponding  sensations,  on  beholding  any  object  which 
recalls  their  wickedness,  their  crimes,  or  their  vanity,  to  our 
recollection. 

The  inconsiderable  island  of  Corsica  has  many  claims  to 
the  notice  of  the  philosophical  historian  : he  that  would  re- 


78 


THE  LIFE  OF 


cord  events  for  the  instruction  of  posterity,  must  not  mere- 
ly narrate  their  occurrence,  he  must  investigate  the  origin 
of  tyranny  and  of  treason,  of  success  and  of  defeat,  in 
the  council,  in  the  senate,  and  in  the  field.  The  means  by 
which  the  few  control  the  many,  and  by  which  the  people 
are  transferred  from  one  master  to  another ; the  policy 
■which  ensured  their  effectual  resistance,  or  their  final  sub- 
dual ; the  genius,  the  talents,  the  arts,  the  manners,  and  the 
literature  of  a country,  are  to  be  dispassionately  estimated, 
compared,  and  reasoned  by  the  historian,  or  future  genera- 
tions will  receive  no  advantage  from  his  industry.  A state 
may  be  small,  but  the  people  may  be  great  ; it  may  have 
little  power,  but  much  principle  ; be  liable  to  great  op- 
pression, and  yet  posses  much  independence.  A great  and 
a powerful  state  may  be  composed  of  a slavish,  depraved, 
and  unenlightened  people,  without  arts  and  without  indus- 
try ; its  political  strength  may  be  greater  than  the  former, 
whilst  its  moral  advantages  are  less.  Corsica  affords  an 
ample  illustration  of  these  remarks  ; and,  were  it  allowable 
to  investigate  history  in  this  work,  admirable  examples  of 
the  virtue,  and  the  patriotism  of  its  natives  might  be  addu- 
ced ; that  island  is  only  considered  of  importance  here, 
and  its  history  will  be  sketched,  and  its  present  situation  be 
described,  merely,  to  gratify  the  curiosity  which  is  naturally 
excited,  respecting  that  country  which  gave  birth  to  Napo- 
leon Buonaparte. 

Corsica  is  an  island  situated  in  the  Mediterranean  sea,  and 
separated  from  the  island  of  Sardinia,  by  the  strait  of  Boni- 
facio ; it  is  about  170  miles  east  of  Toulon,  100  miles 
south  of  Genoa,  and  80  miles  south-west  of  Leghorn.  It 
is  150  miles  in  length  from  north  to  south,  and  from  40  to 
50  miles  in  breadth  ; it  is  about  500  miles  in  circumference, 
and  is  bordered  by  many  bays  and  promontories. 

The  atmosphere  is  pure  and  healthy,  and  it  is  one  of  the 
most  temperate  countries  in  the  south  of  Europe.  The 
harbours  are  very  numerous  ; on  the  north  it  has  Conturi ; 
on  the  west  St.  Fiorenzo,  Isola  Rossa,  Calvi  and  Ajaccio  ; 
on  the  south  Bonifacio ; and  on  the  east  Porto  V ecchio, 
Bastia,  and  Macinajo.  A chain  of  mountains  rises  beyond 
Aleria,  stretching  across  the  island  from  east  to  west,  but 
not  dividing  it  in  equal  parts,  although  the  great  division  of 
Corsica  is  into  the  Di  qua  dei  Monti , the  country  on  this 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


79 


side  the  mountains,  and  the  Di  la  del  Monti,  the  country- 
on  the  other  side  the  mountains,  reckoning  from  Bastia  : 
the  coast  is  diversified  by  mountainous  rocky  hills,  covered 
with  vines,  olives,  and  mulberries,  and  by  plains  and  rich 
waving  lands,  abounding  with  corn  and  pasturage  ; the  pro- 
vince of  Balagna  may  be  called  the  garden  of  Corsica ; near- 
St.  Fiorenzo,  however,  are  some  low  marshy  grounds, 
which  render  that  town  very  unhealthy  ; the  interior  of  the 
island  is,  in  general,  mountainous,  but  interspersed  with 
fruitful  vallies,  and  large  tracts  of  inhabited  woodland.  The 
farmers  live  in  villages,  so  that  there  is  scarcely  a detached 
farm-house  to  be  seen. 

The  island  is  extremely  well  watered ; it  has  many  lakes 
and  rivers,  but  none  of  the  rivers  are  navigable,  for  their 
currents  are  extremely  rapid,  and  sometimes  the  torrents, 
after  great  rains,  bring  down  fragments  from  the  mountains, 
large  enough  to  dash  a vessel  to  pieces ; their  produce  is 
confined  to  trouts  and  eels,  but  on  the  coast  are  found  stur- 
geons and  pilchards  of  exquisite  taste,  and  remarkably  fine 
oysters.  The  animals  of  the  island  are  horses  of  a very 
small  breed,  very  similar  to  shelties ; asses,  and  mules,  very 
small,  but  strong,  and  black  cattle,  which  are  larger  in  pro- 
portion, but  they  give  very  little  milk,  and  their  flesh  is 
tough  : the  natives  use  oil  instead  of  butter,  but  make,  in 
some  parts,  a good  deal  of  cheese.  Goats  browse  on  the 
hills,  and  the  sheep  are  very  fine,  the  pasture  being  better 
adapted  to  the  smaller  animals.  The  forests  aboufid  with 
deer,  and  an  animal  resembling  a stag,  with  horns  like  a 
ram  ; it  is  wild,  and  called  a muffoli.  The  Corsicans  de- 
light in  hunting  the  wild  boar,  for  which  they  have  a breed 
of  dogs  peculiarly  excellent : they  have  hares  and  foxes,, 
but  neither  rabbits  nor  wolves  : they  have  plenty  of  birds 
and  game,  and  no  poisonous  animals.  The  forests  are  ex- 
tensive, with  every  kind  of  forest  trees  ; pomegranate  trees 
grow  to  great  perfection,  as  well  as  the  mulberry,  and, 

“ The  arbutus  rears  his  scarlet  fruit, 

“ Luxuriant,  mantling  o’er  the  craggy  steeps.” 

The  grain,  is  wheat,  barley,  rye,  and  millet : honey  is 
obtained  in  vast  quantities,  but  the  taste  is  rather  bitter.  In 
the  island  are  mines  of  lead,  iron,  copper,  silver,  alum,  and 
saltpetre ; granite,  porphyry,  jasper,  and  rock  crystal,  are 


30 


THE  LIFE  OF 


very  abundant,  and  great  quantities  of  coral  are  fished  up 
on  the  coast. 

Bastia,  which  is  on  the  east  side  of  the  island,  is  consid- 
ered the  capital  of  Corsica  ; it  has  a noble  appearance  from 
the  sea,  being  built  on  the  declivity  of  a hill : it  has  a castle 
which  commands  the  town  and  harbour ; its  cathedral  is  not 
remarkable,  but  the  church  of  St.  John  is  a fine  building ; 
the  port,  however,  cannot  be  entered  by  ships  of  war. 
Corte  is  in  the  centre  of  the  island,  and  is  properly  the 
capital ; it  is  situated  partly  at  the  foot  and  partly  on  the  de- 
clivity of  a rock,  in  a plain,  surrounded  by  mountains  of 
a prodigious  height,  and  at  the  confluence  of  the  rivers 
Tavignano  and  Restonica.  Upon  the  point  of  a rock  which 
rises  above  the  rest,  is  the  castle,  which  has  only  one  wind- 
ing passage  to  climb  up  to  it,  and  where  only  two  persons 
can  go  abreast.  This  town  has  a university. 

Ajaccio,  which  is  on  the  west  side  of  the  island,  and  is 
the  handsomest  town,  claims  the  distinction  of  having 
given  birth  to  Napoleon  Buonaparte  : it  has  many  good 
straits  and  beautiful  walks,  with  a citadel  and  a palace. 
The  inhabitants  of  Ajaccio  are  the  most  genteel  and  well- 
bred  people  in  the  island  : it  contains  the  remains  of  a colo- 
ny of  Greeks,  who  formed  a settlement  there  in  1677.  The 
harbour  is  wide,  safe,  and  commodious,  and  has  an  excel- 
lent mole. 

Calvi,  situated  on  the  west  side  of  the  island,  has  nothing 
remarkable  but  a large  and  convenient  harbour.  Corsica 
has  numerous  other  towns,  but  those  already  mentioned 
are  the  principal. 

The  Greeks  called  this  island  Callista  and  Cyrnus  : the 
Romans  knew  it  by  its  present  name  ; it  was  first  inhabited 
by  a colony  of  Phenicians,  and  afterwards  by  the  Phoceans, 
the  Etruscans,  and  the  Carthaginians  successively  : then 
came  the  Romans,  who  settled  two  colonies  here.  Alter 
the  fall  of  the  Roman  empire,  it  passed  through  the  hands 
of  the  Goths,  the  Greek  emperors,  the  Lombards,  and  the 
Saracens. 

In  the  eighth  century  Corsica  was  conquered  by  Charles 
Martel,  who  presented  it  to  the  see  of  Rome,  by  whom  it 
was  afterwards  transferred  to  the  Pisans,  and  from  whom  it 
was  conquered  by  Genoa-  The  Genoese  treated  the  na- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


81 


tives  so  tyrannically  that  they  were  oft  en  in  a state  of  insure 
gency,  which,  for  want  of  a leader,  was  soon  suppressed, 

Henry  II.  of  France,  assisted  by  Solyman,  the  magnifi- 
cent emperor  of  the  Turks,  invaded  the  island  in  the  year 
1553,  and  they  were  joined  by  the  insurgent  inhabitants  ; 
but  the  Genoese,  assisted  by  Charles  V.  of  Spain,  prevented 
their  success.  The  war  was  terminated  by  an  accommo- 
dation honourable  to  the  Corsicans.  The  dominion  of  the 
Genoese  was  intolerable:  they  exercised  all  the  rigour  that 
arbitrary  power  could  inflict,  and  practised  every  species  of 
extortion  and  cruelty  : they  degraded  the  noble  families, 
sent  multitudes  of  natives  to  the  gallies  for  trifling  offences, 
prohibited  all  foreign  trade  with  the  natives,  and  put  over 
them  needy  adventurers  for  governors,  whose  desperate 
fortunes  rendered  them  haughty,  avaricious,  and  tyrannical. 

The  Corsicans  were  despised,  oppressed,  and  plundered 
until  the  year  1729,  when  a poor  elderly  woman  being  un- 
able to  pay  to  a Genoese  collector  a Paoli,  a piece  of  money 
of  about  the  value  of  five-pence  English  currency,  her  ef- 
fects were  seized.  The  inhabitants  eagerly  espoused  her 
cause,  a conflict  ensued,  and  they  became  masters  of  the 
capital,  and  proceeded  to  elect  military  chiefs.  The  Geno- 
ese, unable  to  subdue  them  alone,  solicited,  and  obtained, 
the  powerful  assistance  of  the  emperor  Charles  VI.  The 
Corsicans  were  once  more  compelled  to  enter  into  an  ac- 
commodation with  their  tyrants ; on  condition,  however, 
that  the  emperor  would  guarantee  the  treaty,  which  was  ac- 
! cordingly  signed  in  1735. 

This  treaty  was  violated  the  next  year  by  the  Genoese, 
and  the  Corsicans  resumed  their  arms.  They  elected  for 
their  general,  Giafferi,  one  of  their  military  chiefs  in  the 
last  insurrection  ; and  with  him  they  associated  Giacento 
Paoli,  a gentleman  of  good  family,  of  distinguished  merit, 
and  the  father  of  the  celebrated  general  Pascal  Paoli.  It 
was  during  this  war,  in  the  year  1736,  that  Theodore  Baron 
Neuhoff  appeared  in  the  island,  with  assurances  to  the  Cor- 
sicans of  a very  powerful  assistance.  This  singular  person 
I1  was  of  the  county  of  Marck,  in  Westphalia.  He  had  his 
education  in  the  French  service,  and  had  travelled,  in  pur- 
[i  suit  of  different  projects,  into  England,  the  Netherlands, 
and  Italy.  He  was  a man  of  abilities  and  address;  and  hav- 
ing conceived  the  design  of  becoming  king  of  Corsica,  he 

11 


82 


THE  LIFE  OF 


went  to  Tunis,  where  he  found  means  to  obtain  a supply  of 
money,  arms,  and  ammunition.  He  then  repaired  to  Leg- 
horn,  whence  he  wrote  a letter  to  the  Corsican  chiefs, 
GiafFeri  and  Paoli,  offering  considerable  assistance  to  the 
nation,  on  condition  that  they  would  elect  him  their  king. 
In  consequence  of  the  favourable  manner  in  which  this  ap- 
plication was  received  he  landed  in  Corsica,  in  the  spring  of 
1736.  He  was  a person  of  a very  stately  appearance,  and 
the  T urkish  dress  which  he  wore,  added  to  the  dignity  of 
his  mein.  He  brought  with  him  about  1,000  zechins  of 
Tunis,  besides  arms  and  ammunition.  His  manners  were 
so  engaging,  and  his  promises  of  foreign  assistance  so  plau- 
sible and  magnificent,  that  he  was  immediately  proclaimed 
king.  He  assumed  every  mark  of  royal  dignity,  had  his 
guards  and  officers  of  state,  conferred  titles  of  honour,  and 
coined  money,  both  silver  and  copper.  He  immediately 
blocked  up  the  Genoese  fortifications,  and  was  neither  inac- 
tive nor  unsuccessful  in  his  warlike  operations ; but  the 
powerful  assistance  he  had  promised  not  having  arrived,  the 
Corsicans  exhibited  marks  of  disapprobation.  In  about 
eight  months  after  his  election  he  found  it  expedient  to 
leave  them ; assuring  them  that  he  would  go  in  person  in 
search  of  the  long  expected  succours  ; and,  having  formed 
a plan  of  administration  in  his  absence,  he  quitted  the  island 
in  November.  The  courts  of  Great  Britain  and  France 
had  forbidden  their  subjects,  by  proclamation,  from  fur- 
nishing any  kind  of  assistance  to  the  Corsicans.  He  re- 
paired, therefore,  to  Holland,  where  he  procured  credit  to 
a great  extent,  from  several  rich  merchants,  who  trusted 
him  with  cannon,  and  other  warlike  stores,  under  the 
charge  of  a supercargo.  With  these  he  returned  to  Cor- 
sica in  1739;  and,  on  his  arrival,  says  the  historian  of 
Corsica,  “ he  put  to  death  the  supercargo,  that  he  might 
not  have  any  trouble  from  demands  being  made  upon  him.” 
The  French,  however,  became  so  powerful  in  the  island,  that, 
although  Theodore  threw  in  his  supply  of  warlike  stores, 
he  durst  not  venture  his  person,  the  Genoese  having  set  a 
high  price  upon  his  head.  He  chose,  therefore,  to  relin- 
quish his  throne,  and  to  sacrifice  his  ambition  to  his  safety. 
In  a word,  after  experiencing  great  vicissitudes  of  fortune, 
he  came  to  England  ; but  his  situation  here,  by  degrees, 
grew  wretched,  and  he  was  reduced  to  such  distress  as  to 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


83 


be  several  years  before  his  death,  confined  for  debt  in  this 
island  of  liberty. 

The  late  Horace  Walpole,  earl  of  Orford,  greatly  inter- 
ested himself  in  procuring  a subscription  in  favour  of  the 
unfortunate  Theodore  : “ How  must  I blush  for  my  coun- 
trymen,” says  he,  “ when  I mention  a monarch,  an  unhap- 
py monarch,  now  actually  suffered  to  languish  for  debt  in 
one  of  the  common  prisons  of  this  city  ! A monarch,  whose 
courage  raised  him  to  a throne,  not  by  a succession  of  am- 
bitious bloody  acts,  but  by  the  voluntary  election  of  an 
injured  people,  who  had  the  common  right  of  mankind  to 
freedom,  and  the  uncommon  resolution  of  determining  to 
be  free  ! This  prince  is  Theodore,  king  of  Corsica ! a man, 
whose  claim  to  royalty  is  as  indisputable  as  the  most  ancient 
titles  to  any  monarchy  can  pretend  to  be  ; that  is,  the  choice 
of  his  subjects;  the  only  kind  of  title  allowed  in  the  excel- 
lent Gothic  constitutions,  from  whence  we  derive  our  own; 
the  same  kind  of  title,  which  endears  the  present  royal  fam- 
ily to  Englishmen ; and  the  only  kind  of  title,  against 
Avhich,  perhaps,  no  objection  can  lie. 

“ This  prince,”  he  continues,  “ after  having  bravely  ex- 
posed his  life  and  crown  in  defence  of  the  rights  of  his  sub- 
jects, miscarried,  as  Cato  and  other  patriot  heroes  did  be- 
fore him.  For  many  years  he  struggled  with  fortune,  and 
left  no  means  untried,  which  indefatigable  policy  or  solici- 
tation of  succours  could  attempt,  to  recover  his  crown.  At 
last,  when  he  had  discharged  his  duty  to  his  subjects  and 
himself,  he  chose  this  country  for  his  retirement ; not  to 
indulge  a voluptuous  inglorious  ease,  but  to  enjoy  the  par- 
ticipation of  those  blessings,  which  he  had  so  vainly  en- 
deavoured to  fix  to  his  Corsicans.  Here  for  some  months 
he  bore/  with  more  philosophic  dignity,  the  loss  of  his 
crown,  than  Charles  V.  Casimir  of  Poland,  or  any  of  those 
visionaries,  who  wantonly  resigned  theirs,  to  partake  the 
sluggish  indolence,  and,  at  length,  the  disquiets,  of  a clois- 
ter. Theodore,  though  resigned  to  his  fortunes,  had  none 
of  that  contemptible  apathy,  which  almost  lifted  our  James 
II.  to  the  supreme  honour  of  monkish  sainthood. 

“ The  veracity  of  an  historian  obliges  me  not  to  disguise 
the  situation  of  his  Corsican  majesty’s  revenue,  which  has 
reduced  him  to  be  a prisoner  for  debt  in  the  King’s  Bench  ; 
and  so  cruelly  has  fortune  exercised  her  rigours  upon  him, 


84 


THE  LIFE  OF 


that,  last  session  of  parliament,  he  was  examined  before  a 
committee  of  the  house  of  commons,  on  the  hardships  to 
which  the  prisoners  in  that  gaol  had  been  subject.  Yet  let 
not  ill-nature  make  sport  with  these  misfortunes  ! His  ma- 
jesty had  nothing  to  blush  at,  nothing  to  palliate,  in  the 
recapitulation  of  his  distresses.  The  debts  on  his  civil  list 
were  owing  to  no  misapplication,  no  improvidence  of  his 
own,  no  corruption  of  his  ministers,  no  indulgence  to  fa- 
vourites or  ministers.  His  diet  was  philosophic,  his  palace 
humble,  his  robes  decent ; yet  his  butcher,  his  landlady, 
and  his  tailor,  could  not  continue  to  supply  an  establish- 
ment, which  had  no  demesnes  to  support  it,  no  taxes  to 
maintain  it,  no  excises,  no  lotteries,  to  provide  funds  for  its 
deficiencies  and  emergencies.” 

Mr.  Walpole  proceeds  with  some  other  observations  in 
the  same  strain,  and  then  proposes  “ a subscription  for  a 
subsidy  for  the  use  of  his  Corsican  majesty.”  This  actually 
took  place,  and  a very  handsome  sum  was  produced.  Some 
gentlemen  waited  upon  him  with  the  amount  of  the  sub- 
scription. His  lodging  was  in  a garret ; an  armed-chair 
under  the  tester  of  his  bedstead,  was  the  only  state  which 
marked  the  reception  of  the  deputation.  He  was,  at  last* 
freed  from  prison  by  an  act  of  insolvency,  in  consequence 
of  which  he  made  over  his  kingdom  of  Corsica  for  the  ben7 
efit  of  his  creditors,  and  which  was  actually  registered  ac- 
cordingly. He  died  soon  after,  and  was  buried  in  the 
church  yard  of  St.  Anne’s,  Soho,  where  a plain  monument 
is  erected  to  him,  with  the  following  inscription : 

Near  this  place  is  interred  Theodore,  king  of  Corsica,  who  died  in  this  parish,  De- 
cember 11,  1756,  immediately  after  leaving  the  King’s  Bench  prison,  by  tbe  benefit 
of  the  act  of  insolvency ; in  consequence  of  which  he  registered  his  kingdom  of 
Corsica  for  the  benefit  of  his  creditors. 

The  grave,  great  teacher ! to  a level  brings 
Heroes,  and  beggars,  galley-slaves,  and  kings  ; 

But  Theodore  this  moral  Seam’d,  ere  dead  : } 

Fate  pour’d  its  lesson  on  his  living  head, 

Bestow’d  a kingdom,  and  deny’d  him  bread,  j 

Theodore  left  a son,  who  lived  many  years  in  this 
country,  under  the  name  of  colonel  Frederick,  and  who 
shot  himself  in  the  year  1796,  in  great  distress  of  mind, 
occasioned  by  the  indigence  of  his  circumstances,  under 
the  portal  of  Westminster  Abbey.  The  colonel  had  a son, 
an  officer  in  the  British  army,  who  was  killed  in  the  Amer- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  85 

lean  war.  The  Genoese  now  had  recourse  to  the  French 
king,  who  sent  an  army  into  the  island  in  1738,  and  in 
1740,  effectually  reduced  it.  At  the  end  of  the  year  1741, 
the  French  having  more  important  objects  in  view,  with- 
drew their  forces  from  the  island,  after  having  put  the 
Genoese  in  complete  possession  of  it.  But  the  moment 
that  the  French  had  left  the  island,  the  Corsicans  resumed 
their  arms  ; and,  from  that  period,  the  war  continued  un- 
der different  chiefs,  till  1755,  when  Pascal  Paoli,  was 
elected  to  the  chief  command.  Great  Britain  had  forbid- 
den her  subjects  to  give  any  assistance  to  the  Corsicans  ; 
but,  in  1745,  in  consequence  of  a revolution  in  her  po- 
litical connections,  some  English  ships  of  war,  with  a Cor- 
sican chief  on  board,  were  sent  into  the  Mediterranean,  as 
.auxiliaries  to  the  king  of  Sardinia.  These  ships  bom- 
barded Bastia  and  Fiorenzo,  of  which  they  put  the  Corsi- 
cans in  possession.  At  the  peace,  however,  in  1763,  a 
severe  proclamation  was  issued  by  the  British  court,  in 
which  these  brave  islanders  were  styled  rebels.  Paoli  had 
the  address  to  engage  all  ranks  to  exert  themselves  in  pro- 
viding what  was  necessary  for  carrying  on  the  war  with 
spirit,  and  soon  drove  the  Genoese  to  the  most  remote  cor- 
ners of  the  island.  He  rectified  innumerable  abuses,  and 
formed  a regular  system  of  administration.  He  civilized 
the  manners  of  the  Corsicans,  established  a university,  and 
settled  schools  for  the  instruction  of  children  in  every  vil- 
lage of  the  kingdom.  He  induced  the  Corsicans  to  appl}~ 
to  agriculture,  commerce,  and  civil  occupations,  which 
had  been  interrupted  to  the  ruin  of  industry,  by  the  long- 
continuance  of  the  war.  The  nation  became  firm  and 
united  ; and  had  not  the  French  again  interposed,  the  Cor- 
sicans would  have  entirely  expelled  the  Genoese  from  the 
island.  But  when  Paoli  was  on  -the  point  of  successfully 
terminating  the  war,  the  Genoese,  in  1764,  concluded  a 
treaty  with  the  French,  by  which  the  latter  engaged  to 
garrison  the  fortified  towns  of  Corsica  for  the  term  of  four 
years.  In  1767,  the  Genoese  sold  their  claim  of  sove- 
reignty to  the  French  king,  who,  that  very  year,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  garrisons  already  in  Corsica,  sent  another  pow- 
erful body  of  troops,  under  the  command  of  the  count  de 
Vaux.  Flattering  manifestoes  were  published,  in  order  to 
induce  the  Corsicans  to  become  subjects  of  France  ; but, 


86 


THE  LTFE  OF 


fired  by  the  love  of  liberty,  they  defeated  the  French  in 
several  engagements.  Fresh  troops  being  sent  from  France, 
the  contest,  at  length,  became  too  unequal ; the  natives, 
weakened  by  their  victories,  were  obliged  to  submit ; and, 
in  June,  1769,  the  brave  Paoli,  compelled  to  abandon  his 
country  to  its  fate,  embarked  on  board  an  English  ship, 
landed  at  Leghorn,  and,  repairing  soon  after  to  London, 
lived  there  many  years,  protected  and  supported  by  the 
British  court. 

Corsica  being  thus  subdued,  the  French  commander 
proceeded  to  new  model  the  governme'nt  of  the  island, 
winch  was  placed  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  parliament 
of  Provence.  In  the  mean  time,  the  natives  abandoned 
their  country  in  great  numbers  ; while  the  most  intrepid 
of  those  that  remained  took  shelter  in  the  mountainous 
parts,  whence  they  seized  every  opportunity  of  falling 
upon  their  enemies,  when  separated  into  small  parties  ; and 
they  put  to  death,  without  mercy,  all  the  French  that  fell 
into  their  hands.  As  nothing  could  subdue  the  unconquer- 
able spirit  of  the  natives,  the  most  shocking  cruelties  were, 
at  length,  exercised  upon  all  of  them  who  were  made  pris- 
oners ; and  by  the  year  1778,  when  the  French  king,  who 
had  enslaved  these  islanders,  declared  himself  the  protector 
and  guardian  of  the  liberties  of  America  (an  interference, 
which  in  the  event,  proved  so  fatal  to  himself)  the  poor, 
friendless,  and  deserted  Corsicans,  were  nearly  extirpated. 

The  memorable  revolution  of  France  in  1789,  produced, 
at  last,  an  unexpected  change  in  the  political  aspect  of  Cor- 
sica. From  the  period  in  which  it  was  conquered,  this 
island  had  been  retained  in  subjection  by  the  strong  fetters 
only  of  military  despotism.  They  had  never  ratified  the 
infamous  contract  by  which  a nation  was  transferred,  like  a 
flock  of  sheep,  from  the  dominion  of  Genoa  to  that  of 
France.  The  meeting  of  the  states  general  at  Versailles 
had  revived,  within  the  bosoms  of  these  brave  men,  the 
unsubdued  spirit  of  liberty,  and  the  hopes  of  being  rein- 
stated in  their  rights.  These  hopes  were  succeeded  by  a 
sinister  rumour,  that  they  were  once  more  to  be  ceded  to 
the  detested  dominion  of  Genoa  ; or,  at  least,  that  they 
were  to  be  still  retained  as  a servile  appendage  to  a land  of 
freedom.  In  such  a state  of  doubt  and  perplexity  the  pas- 
sions of  the  multitude  are  easily  excited.  They  proposed 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


87 


immediately  to  form  a national  guard  ; the  citizens  of 
Bastia  assembled  for  that  purpose  in  the  church  of  St.  John  ; 
the  army  marched  to  disperse  them,  and  in  the  contest 
some  lives  were  lost.  In  this  state  of  ferment  the  island 
remained,  when  deputies  (among  whom  was  Pascal  Paoli, 
who,  at  this  important  crisis,  had  revisited  his  native 
country)  appeared  at  the  bar  of  the  national  constituent 
assembly,  entreating,  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  Corsica, 
that  they  might  be  irrevocably  united,  by  a decree  of  the 
legislature,  to  the  French  nation,  as  a constituent  part  of  the 
empire.  Such  a request  was  too  reasonable,  and  too  flat- 
tering to  the  assembly  not  to  be  instantly  complied  with  ; 
and  Corsica  was  decreed  to  be  an  eighty-third  department 
of  France.  This  was  followed  by  a motion  of  the  count 
de  Mirabeau  (who  lamented  that  his  youth  had  been  dis- 
graced bv  participating  in  the  conquest  of  this  island)  to 
restore  all  who  had  emigrated,  except  on  account  of  civil 
crimes,  to  their  rank,  their  rights,  and  their  property.  The 
illustrious  Paoli,  who  had  so  often  appeared  as  the  general 
! in  chief,  was  now  content  to  be  commandant  of  the  nation- 
al guard  at  Bastia. 

In  the  year  1790  Buonaparte  received  the  command  of 
a battalion  of  national  guards  at  Ajaccio,  and  remained  on 
duty  in  his  native  town,  until  he  re-entered  the  corps  of  ar- 
tillery to  which  he  had  formerly  been  attached,  and  for  his 
services  at  Toulon,  received  the  rank  of  general.  This 
instance  of  wisdom  and  liberality  in  the  first  national  as- 
sembly of  France  (who,  at  the  time  that  they  solemnly  re- 
nounced all  views  of  war  and  conquest,  appeared  desirous 
of  establishing  throughout  their  empire,  the  blessings  of 
real  liberty)  seemed  to  promise  an  inseparable  connection 
between  France  and  Corsica.  But,  on  the  dissolution  of 
this  assembly  (the  virtuous  members  of  which  had  impru- 
dently disqualified  themselves  from  being  rechosen  in  the 
next)  their  successors  were  men  of  very  inferior  talents 
| and  characters,  and  actuated  by  less  enlightened  views. 

[ The  events  which  followed  the  revolution  of  the  10th  of 
August,  1792,  were  not  such  as  were  calculated  to  ensure 
the  attachment  of  the  Corsicans  to  the  new  republic.  Dis- 
satisfaction with  the  measures  of  the  French  convention, 

» and  particularly  with  those  which  evinced  an  intention  to 
i overthrow  all  religion,  became  so  manifest,  that  it  soon 


88 


THE  LIFE  OF 


excited  to  suspicion,  and  roused  to  violence.  On  the  2d 
of  April,  1793,  the  popular  society  of  Toulon  accused 
general  Paoli  to  the  convention,  as  a supporter  of  despot- 
ism. They  alleged,  that  the  general,  in  concert  with  the 
administrators  of  the  department,  had  inflicted  every  kind 
of  hardship  upon  the  patriots,  and  at  the  same  time  favour- 
ed the  emigrants  and  the  refractory  priests.  They  demand- 
ed that  he  should  fall  under  the  avenging  sword  of  the  law„ 
The  convention  decreed  that  general  Paoli,  and  the  attor- 
ney general  of  the  department  of  Corsica,  should  be  or- 
dered to  the  bar  to  give  an  account  of  their  conduct. 

On  the  fourth  of  May,  however,  the  convention  received 
a letter  from  the  commissioners  sent  to  Corsica,  to  arrest 
general  Paoli,  that  they  thought  it  unsafe  to  attempt  that 
measure  for  the  present,  and  on  the  sixteenth  of  the  same 
month,  a letter  was  read  from  the  general,  regretting  that 
his  extreme  old  age,  and  bodily  infirmities,  rendered  it  im- 
possible for  him  to  cross  the  sea,  and  afterwards  travel  two 
hundred  leagues  by  land,  to  appear  at  the  bar  of  the  con- 
vention, but  offering  to  retire  from  his  country,  if  it  were 
deemed  necessary  to  the  safety  and  peace  of  Corsica.  In 
October,  however,  Paoli  sent  a pressing  request  to  lord 
Hood,  for  a few  ships,  to  co-operate  with  him  against  the 
French  in  the  island,  and  to  attack  the  redoubt  of  Fornilli 
(a  post  about  two  miles  distant  from  the  town  of  Fiorenzo.) 
Captain  Linzee,  however,  failed  from  false  intelligence 
being  given  him  respecting  a range  of  cannon,  which  an- 
noyed him  from  the  town,  and  also  from  the  want  of  ardour 
on  the  part  of  the  Corsicans,  who  had  promised  to  storm 
the  posts  on  the  land  side,  though  they  never  made  the 
smallest  movement  to  effect  that  service  during  the  whole 
of  the  action,  and  by  which  the  whole  force  of  the  enemy 
was  directed  against  the  British. 

In  May,  1794,  lord  Hood  obtained  the  surrender  of  the 
town  and  citadel  of  Bastia,  from  Gentili  the  commandant, 
and  in  July  the  union  of  the  island  of  Corsica  to  the  crown 
of  Great  Britain  was  formally  concluded.  General  Paoli 
assisted  in  effecting  this  measure  by  a very  spirited  and  pat- 
riotic address  to  the  people.  The  town  of  Calvi  surren- 
dered on  the  10th  of  August,  after  a siege  of  51  days. 
Sir  Gilbert  Elliot  was  appointed  viceroy,  and  met  the  first 
parliament  of  Corsica,  on  the  9th  February,  1795, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


89 


Thus  was  the  country,  which  gave  birth  to  Napoleon 
Buonaparte,  transferred  to  the  dominion  of  Great  Britain, 
at  a period  when  the  whole  world  was  confounded  by  the 
pr  gress  of  the  French  arms;  when  the  plans  of  the  British 
government  itself  were  frustrated  by  the  subjugation  of 
Holland,  and  almost  every  country  on  the  continent  dis- 
tressed in  its  means  and  resources. 


CHAPTER  VII. 

A passion  for  military  glory  is  inseparable  from  great 
military  talents : he,  whose  capacity  and  personal  services 
have  eminently  assisted  in  successfully  terminating  an  ex- 
ploit of  great  magnitude,  or  danger,  will  court  an  oppor- 
tunity of  procuring  further  fame  : he  will  eagerly  seek  in 
other  fields  for  other  laurels  ; and  should  he  even  be  disap- 
pointed in  a fresh  adventure,  this  with  the  remembrance  of 
former  good  fortune,  will  stimulate  him  to  more  vigorous 
exerrions : his  ardour  wall  be  tempered  by  caution,  and  a 
determined  perseverance  will  ensure  ultimate  prosperity  to 
his  pursuits.  Experience  will  counsel  the  wise  in  their  ca- 
reer ; and  though  they  ma}  reject  the  suggestions  of  timid- 
ity, they  will  riot  refuse  to  be  guided  by  prudence. 

The  young  general  Buonaparte,  after  the  siege  of  Tou- 
lon, in  which  his  achievements  were  so  conspicuous,  and 
where  he  obtained  the  rank  ot  general,  was  sent  to  Nice,  but 
was  arrested  there  by  Bcffroi,  the  deputy,  who  previously 
displaced  him  from  his  command.  He  was  charged  with 
being  a terrorist,  and  with  his  cot  duct  aiur  the  siege  of 
Toulon,  having  been  sanguinary  towards  the  persecuted 
inhabitants  : he  wras  soon  released,  but  he  lost  his  commend 
in  the  artillery,  although  he  was  not  discharged  the  service  : 
he  was  offered  a command  in  the  infantry,  but  he  refused 
to  accept  it. 

During  his  stay  at  Nice  the  events  of  the  war  offered  ma- 
terials of  great  value,  to  a mind  so  imbued  with  military 
enthusiasm  : he  was  almost  constant  y employed,  and  spent 
many  hours  of  the  night  in  study.  One  of  his  friends,  on 
a very  particular  occasion,  W’ent  to  his  apartments  long  be- 

12 


90 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fore  day,  and  not  doubting  but  he  was  in  bed,  knocked' 
softly  at  the  door,  for  fear  of  disturbing  him  too  abruptly ; 
but,  upon  entering  his  chamber,  he  was  surprised  to  find 
Buonaparte  dressed,  as  in  the  day,  with  plans,  maps,  and 
numerous  books  lying  around  him.  “ What,”  said  his 
friend,  “ not  yet  in  bed  ?” — “ In  bed,”  answered  Buona- 
parte, “ I am  already  risen.” — “ Indeed,”  observed  the 
other,  “ what,  so  early  ?” — “ Yes,  so  early  ; two  or  three 
hours  are  enough  for  sleep.” 

Soon  after  he  was  free  from  arrest,  he  hastened  to  Paris 
to  lodge  his  complaints.  Aubry,  the  representative,  who 
was  then  at  the  head  of  the  military  department  of  the  com- 
mittee of  public  safety,  refused  him  any  thing  more  than 
the  commission  in  the  infantry  he  had  been  before  offered. 
Buonaparte  demanded  his  discharge,  which  was  refused : i; 
he  then  asked  permission  to  retire  to  Constantinople,  in  all 
probability  with  a view  of  serving  in  the  Turkish  army, 
but  this  was  also  refused. 

He  obtained,  however,  in  the  year  1794,  the  command 
of  an  expedition  fitted  out  against  Ajaccio,  his  native  town, 
in  the  island  of  Corsica  : he  was  repulsed,  however,  in  the 
attempt,  by  one  of  his  own  relations,  named  Masteria,  who 
was  at  that  time  in  the  British  service,  and  had  served  un- 
der general  Elliot,  at  the  siege  of  Gibraltar.  The  object 
of  the  expedition  was  defeated,  and  it  returned  to  France. 

Buonaparte  has  been  frequently  said  to  have  been  in 
England  to  solicit  government  for  a commission  in  the 
British  army  : the  observation  has  been  denied,  as  often, 
perhaps,  as  it  has  been  made ; and  no  authority  having 
been  mentioned  to  support  the  truth  of  the  fact  of  his  hav- 
ing been  in  England  at  all,  has,  at  length,  been  entirely  dis- 
believed. We  can,  however,  declare,  that  Buonaparte  was 
in  England,  but  the  object  of  his  appearance  here  is  not 
known.  He  lodged  at  a house  in  the  Adelphi,  in  the  Strand, 
and  remained  in  London  but  a short  time.  This  informa-  j 
lion  was  obtained  from  general  Miranda,  personally,  who 
says  he  visited  him  in  England  at  the  time.  We  therefore 
give  the  fact  from  that  general’s  statement  which  he  made 
on  the  enquiry  being  put  to  him,  during  the  last  time  he 
was  in  this  country,  before  his  expedition  to  South  Ameri- 
ca : it  is  probable,  that  the  period  when  Buonaparte  was 
here,  was  about  the  middle  oi'  the  year  1793  ; for  the  con- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


9i 


vention  suspecting  him,  whilst  he  held  a command  in  Cor- 
sica, of  tampering,  with  others,  to  surrender  the  island  to 
the  English,  the  deputies  Le  Courbe,  St.  Michael,  and  two 
others,  ordered  his  arrest : he  left  the  army  in  consequence, 
and  perhaps  he  came  to  England  immediately,  and  departed 
time  enough  to  be  present  at  the  siege  of  Toulon. 

After  Buonaparte  had  been  displaced  from  the  artillery, 
and  after  his  ill-success  before  Ajaccio,  he  remained  in  great 
obscurity,  and  was  subject  to  considerable  pecuniary  em- 
barrassment : his  friends  were  not  numerous,  and  he  was 
from  time  to  time  indebted  for  five  or  six  livres  to  M.  Gue- 
rin, a merchant  at  Marseilles ; but  the  assistance  he  received 
from  others  was  even  more  trifling  than  this.  His  prospects 
were  dimmed  by  adversity,  and  he  had  no  certain  expecta- 
tion of  either  employment  or  support,  until  the  latter 
end  of  the  year  1795. 

After  the  inauguration  of  the  directory,  Buonaparte,  as 
general  of  the  armed  force  of  Paris,  waited  on  each  of  the 
five  directors.  Carnot,  who  succeeded  Sieves,  lived  at 
the  top  of  a house  beneath  the  ruins  of  the  Luxembourg, 
his  official  apartments  not  being  ready  : it  was  on  a Mon- 
day that  Buonaparte  presented  himself,  which  was  the  day 
whereon  a celebrated  writer  regularly  visited  Carnot.  This 
I person  was  singing  an  air,  accompanied  by  a young  lady 
on  the  piano-forte.  The  appearance  of  Buonaparte,  a little 
well  made  olive  complexioned  youth,  amid  five  or  six  tall 
young  men,  who  seemed  to  pay  him  great  attention,  was  a 
very  surprising  contrast : he  entered  the  room,  bowing 
with  an  air  of  ease  and  self  possession,  and  the  author  in 
question,  asked  Carnot  who  the  gentlemen  were.  The 
; director  answered,  “ the  general  of  the  armed  force  of 
i Paris,  and  his  aid-de-camps.”  His  dissimilarity  to  such 
i generals  as  Santerre  or  Rossignol  was  striking.  “ What  is 
I his  name  ?”  said  the  author.  “ Buonaparte.”  “ Has  he 
! great  military  skill  ?”  “ So  it  is  said.”  “ What  has  he 

ever  done  that  is  remarkable  ?”  “ He  is  the  officer  who 

1 commanded  the  troops  of  the  convention  on  the  day  of 
I Vendemiaire.”  The  shade  deepened  on  the  countenance 
1 of  the  inquirer  ; he  was  one  of  the  electors  of  Vendemiaire ; 

he  retired  to  an  obscure  part  of  the  room,  and  observed 
i the  new  visitor  in  thoughtfulness  and  silence. 


92 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Buonaparte  seeing  the  young  lady  still  at  her  instrument, 
and  the  company  attending  solely  to  him,  said,  “ I have 
put  a stop  to  your  amusements  : some  person  was  singing, 

I beg  I may  not  interrupt  the  party.”  The  director  apolo- 
gized ; the  general  insisted,  and  alter  two  or  three  national 
airs  had  been  played,  he  rose,  and  took,  his  leave.  As  soon 
as  he  had  departed,  the  conversation  turned  on  Buonaparte, 
and  Carnot  predicted  from  that  short  interview,  that  the 
youthful  general  would  not  long  retain  a command,  that  an 
aspiring  genius  could  consider  merely  as  a step  to  future 
feme  and  glory. 

Barras  was  not  deficient  in  discernment  ; he  had  a quick 
perception  of  abilities,  and  he,  therefore,  duly  appreciated 
the  exertions  of  Buonaparte  ; he  saw  that  a man  endowed 
with  so  much  observaton  and  energy,  was  fitted  for  a sta- 
tion in  which  vigilance  and  activity  were  essentially  requi- 
site, and  he  procured  Buonaparte  to  be  advanced  to  the 
command  of  the  army  of  the  interior  : the  high  rank  which 
he  acquired  by  this  appointment,  was  accompanied  by  ade- 
quate emoluments,  and  carried  with  it  considerable  influ- 
ence. 

Josephine  La  Pagerie,  at  twenty-two  years  of  age,  mar- 
ried the  viscount  Alexander  de  Beauharnois,  major  in  a 
royal  French  regiment  of  infantry  : they  were  both  de- 
scended from  noble  families,  both  natives  of  Martinique, 
and  both  educated  in  France.  The  handsome  fortune  of 
the  beautiful  Josephine  La  Pagerie  was  an  agreeable  addi- 
tion to  the  slender  income  of  the  youthful  viscount : their 
expenditure  was  liberal ; and  having  been  introduced  at 
court,  their  rank,  the  urbanity  of  their  manners,  and  the 
elegance  of  their  entertainments,  ensured  them  the  best 
company  in  Paris. 

At  the  commencement  of  the  revolution,  M.  de  Beau- 
harnois was  chosen,  by  the  nobility  of  the  bailiwick  of 
Blois,  a deputy  to  the  states-general,  or  national  assembly ; 
and,  in  June,  1791,  he  was  elected  their  president  and  in 
that  capacity  signed  the  proclamation  to  the  French  people, 
on  the  journey  of  the  king  to  Varennes.  He  served  under 
general  Biron,  in  April,  1/92,  and  bore  the  rank  of  adjutant- 
general,  when  the  French  were  defeated  near  Mons.  He  after- 
wards succeeded  Custine  in  the  command  of  the  army  of  the 
Rhine ; was  suspended  by  the  deputies  in  August,  1793,  and 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


93 


shortly  after,  arrested  with  his  wife.  He  was  consigned  to 
the  guillotine  on  the  23d  of  July,  1794:  if  Robespierre 
had  not  followed  him  a few  days  after,  Madame  Beauhar- 
nois  would  also  have  perished  on  the  republican  scaffold. 
In  one  of  the  36  lists  of  persons  destined  by  Fouquier 
Thionville  to  supply  the  guillotine  for  36  successive  days, 
appeared  the  name  of  Madame  de  Reauharnois  ; another 
list  contained  the  name  of  Burras.  On  the  12th  of  August, 
1794,  she  was  released  by  Legendre.  Burras  caused  rhe 
national  seals  to  be  taken  off  her  house,  in  the  Rue  de  Vic- 
toires,  a few  weeks  after,  and  continued  to  honour  her 
with  his  protection,  by  sojourning  in  her  hotel,  until  Oc- 
tober, 1795,  when  his  appointment  to  the  office  of  direc- 
tor, required  that  he  should  occupy  the  splendid  suite  of 
apartments  assigned  him  in  the  palace  of  the  Luxembourg. 

Barras,  invested  with  the  dignity  of  one  of  the  chief 
magistrates  of  France,  did  not  find  it  convenient  to  con- 
tinue his  intimacy  with  Madame  Beauharnois  : if  their  at- 
tachment had  been  mutual,  it  was  either  easily  subdued, 
or  it  had  suddenly  subsided,  for  the  lady  agreed  to  an  ar- 
rangement, which  evinced  her  obedience  to  the  wishes  of 
her  friend,  and  the  self-command  that  she  had  acquired 
over  her  own  feelings : she  consented  to  give  her  hand  to 
Napoleon  Buonaparte,  the  general  of  the  interior,  if  the 
general  himself  could  be  induced  to  offer  her  his  vows  of 
conjugal  affection.  The  plan  was  formed,  and  Barras  pro- 
ceeded to  effect  its  completion,  to  provide  his  mistress  with 
a husband,  and  his  friend  with  a wife. 

The  army  of  Italy  was  without  a leader  : Carnot  dis- 
placed general  Scherer  for  habitual  intoxication.  Buona- 
parte having  shewn  his  talents  for  command,  as  well  as  for 
execution,  both  at  Toulon  and  on  the  13th  Vendemiaire, 
Barras  recommended  him  to  Carnot,  as  the  most  likely 
man  to  serve  the  republic  faithfully  in  Italy.  Carnot’s  high 
opinion  of  the -genius  of  Buonaparte  seconded  the  nomina- 
tion. Barras  offered  to  Buonaparte  Madame  Beauharnois, 

■ and  500,000  livres,  and  Carnot  offered  him  the  army. 
Barras  told  him  that  the  lady  and  the  army  were  equally 
necessary  to  a youthful  and  aspiring  general : his  friend- 
ship, his  gallantry,  and  his  ambition  were  roused,  and  as 
the  terms  of  the  offer  implied,  that  neither  could  be  grati- 
fied without  the  other,  he  obliged  his  friend  Barras,  and 


94 


THE  LIFE  OF 


became  the  husband  of  Madame  Beauhamois,  and  com- 
mander in  chief  of  the  army  of  Italy. 

Buonaparte  arrived  at  the  head-quarters  early  in  the  spring 
of  1796,  and  only  awaited  the  disappearance  of  the  snow 
to  commence  his  operations.  In  the  interim  he  lived  fa- 
miliarly with  the  soldiers,  marched  on  foot,  at  their  head, 
suffered  their  hardships  and  privations,  redressed  their 
grievances,  and  acquired,  by  attention  to  their  desires,  their 
esteem  and  affection.  The  strength  of  his  army  was  very 
inferior  in  point  of  numbers  to  that  of  his  enemies  : “ But, 
if  we  are  vanquished,”  said  he,  “ I shall  have  too  much ; 
if  conquerors,  we  stand  in  need  of  nothing.” 

The  Austrians  and  Piedmontese  occupied  all  the  passes 
and  heights  of  the  Alps  which  command  the  river  of  Genoa. 
The  French  had  their  right  supported  by  Savona,  and  their 
left  towards  Montenotte,  while  two  demi-brigades  were 
considerably  advanced  in  front  of  their  right,  at  Voltri. 

After  some  days  spent  in  movements  intended  to  deceive 
the  French,  hostilities  were  commenced  by  the  Imperialists. 
Beaulieu  ordered  10,000  men,  on  the  9th  of  April,  1796, 
to  attack  the  post  of  Voltri.  General  Cervoni,  with  3,000 
men  retreated,  during  night,  in  great  order,  to  the  church 
of  Our  Lady  of  Savona,  and  Buonaparte  covered  his  retreat 
with  1,500  men,  posted  for  that  purpose  in  the  avenues  of 
Sospello,  and  on  the  heights  of  Verraggio.  On  the  10th, 
about  four  in  the  morning,  Beaulieu,  at  the  head  of  15,000 
men,  attacked  and  drove  in  all  the  posts,  which  supported 
the  centre  of  the  French,  and  presented  himself  at  one 
o’clock  of  the  day,  before  the  redoubt  of  Montenotte,  the 
last  of  their  entrenchments.  Notwithstanding  repeated  char- 
ges, this  redoubt  kept  firm,  and  arrested  the  progress  of  the 
enemy.  The  chief  of  brigade,  Rampon,  who  commanded 
these  1,500  men,  made  his  soldiers,  in  the  midst  of  the  fire, 
take  an  oath  to  perish  in  the  redoubt,  and,  during  the  whole 
night,  kept  the  enemy  at  the  distance  of  pistol-shot.  In 
the  night- time,  general  Laharpe,  with  all  the  troops  of  the 
right,  took  post  behind  the  redoubt,  and  Buonaparte,  fol- 
lowed by  the  generals  Berthier  and  Massena,  and  the  com- 
missioner Salicetti,  brought  up  the  troops  of  his  centre  and 
his  left,  at  one  o’clock  in  the  morning,  by  Altara,  on  the 
flank  and  rear  of  the  Austrians.  On  the  11th,  at  day-break, 
Beaulieu  and  Laharpe,  attacked  and  charged  each  other  with 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


95 


vigour  and  various  success,  when  Massena  appeared  scat- 
tering death  and  terror  on  the  flank  and  rear  of  the  Austro- 
Sardinians,  where  general  Argenteau  commanded.  Soon 
after,  the  enemy’s  generals,  Roccavino  and  Argenteau,  were 
wounded,  and  the  rout  became  complete.  Fifteen  hundred 
men  were  killed,  and  2,500  made  prisoners,  of  which  60 
were  officers;  several  standards  were  also  taken.  The 
French  made  themselves  masters  of  Carcara  on  the  12th, 
and  also  of  Cairo. 

Beaulieu,  although  beaten,  was  still  able  to  send  assist- 
ance from  his  right  wing  to  the  left  of  the  Austro-Sardinian 
army.  Buonaparte  removed  his  head-quarters  to  Carcara  on 
the  12th,  and  ordered  general  Laharpe  to  march  to  Sozello, 
in  order  to  menace  the  eight  battalions  of  the  enemy  station- 
ed there,  and  to  repair,  on  the  day  following,  by  a rapid 
and  concealed  march,  to  the  town  of  Cairo  ; while  general 
Massena  was  directed  to  gain  the  heights  of  Dego,  at  the 
same  time  that  the  generals  Menaud  and  Joubert  occupied, 
one  the  heights  of  Biestro,  and  the  other  the  interesting 
position  of  St.  Marguerite.  This  movement  following  the 
battle  of  Montenotte,  placed  the  French  army  on  the  other 
side  of  the  Alps. 

On  the  13th  of  April,  1796,  at  day-break,  general  Au- 
gereau  forced  the  defiles  of  Millesimo,  while  the  generals 
Menaud  and  Joubert  drove  the  enemy  from  all  the  neigh- 
bouring posts,  and  surrounded  a corps  of  1,500  Austrian 
grenadiers,  commanded  by  lieutenant-general  Provera  in  per- 
son, a knight  of  the  order  of  Maria  Theresa,  who  gallantly 
j retired  to  a summit  of  the  mountain  of  Cossaria,  and  en- 
trenched himself  in  the  ruins  of  an  old  castle,  extremelv 
strong,  on  account  of  its  position.  Augereau  ordered  his 
artillery  to  advance,  when  both  kept  up  a cannonade  for  sev- 
eral hours.  At  eleven  o’clock  of  the  day,  Buonaparte,  vex- 
ed at  finding  his  march  arrested  by  a handful  of  men,  or- 
dered general  Provera  to  be  summoned  to  surrender  : the 
latter  requested  to  speak  with  the  commander  in  chief,  but 
a lively  cannonade  commencing  on  the  right  wing  of  the 
; French  prevented  him  from  repairing  to  Provera,  who  con- 
i turned  to  treat  with  general  Augereau  for  several  hours  r 
Augereau,  at  length,  formed  his  men  into  four  columns, 
and  advanced  against  the  castle.  Already  had  Joubert  en- 
tered the  enemy’s  entrenchments  with  seven  men,  when  . 


96 


THE  LTFE  OF 


being  wounded  in  the  head,  he  was  thrown  on  the  ground  ; 
and  his  soldiers  thinking  him  dead,  the  movement  of  his 
column  relaxed.  The  second  column,  commanded  by- 
general  Banel,  advanced  in  silence,  when  the  general  was 
killed  at  die  foot  of  the  enemy’s  entrenchments.  The  third 
column,  under  adjutant-general  Quenin,  who  was  also  kill- 
ed, was  in  like  manner  disconcerted. 

Night  approaching  gave  Buonaparte  reason  to  fear,  that 
the  enemy  would  attempt  to  make  their  way,  sword  in  hand: 
he,  therefore,  ordered  all  the  battalions  to  unite,  epaulments 
of  casks  to  be  formed,  and  howitzer  batteries  planted  within 
half  a musket-shot  of  the  enemy. 

At  dawn  of  day  on  the  14th,  the  hostile  armies  faced  each 
other  : the  French  left,  under  Augereau,  kept  general  Pro- 
vera  blockaded  : several  of  the  enemy’s  regiments,  and 
among  others  that  of  Belgiojoso,  attempted  to  penetrate  the 
centre  of  the  French,  but  were  vigorously  repulsed  by  gen- 
eral Menaud,  who  was  then  directed  to  fall  back  on  the  right 
wing.  Bi  fore  one  o’clock  at  noon,  general  Massena  ex- 
tended his  line  beyond  the  enemy’s  left,  which  occupied  the 
village  of  Dego  with  strong  entrenchments  and  vigorous 
batteries.  The  French  pushed  forward  their  light  troops  as 
far  as  the  road  leading  from  Dego  to  Spino.  General  La- 
harpe  marched  with  his  division  in  three  close  columns;  the 
one  on  his  left,  commanded  by  general  Causse,  crossed  the 
Bormida  under  the  enemy’s  fire,  with  the  water  up  to  their 
middle,  and  attacked  the  right  of  the  enemy’s  left  wing. — 
General  Cervoni,  at  the  head  of  the  second  column,  also 
passed  the  Bormida,  under  the  protection  of  one  of  the 
French  batteries,  and  advanced  immediately  against  the  en- 
emy; while  the  third  column,  unrier  adjutant-general  Boy- 
er, turned  a ravine,  and  cut  off  their  retreat.  The  enemy, 
surrounded  on  all  sides,  had  not  time  to  capitulate  ; and  the 
French  columns,  spreading  every  where  terror  and  death, 
put  them  to  the  rout.  While  the  right  of  the  French  made 
the  necessary  dispositions  for  attacking  the  enemy’s  left, 
general  Provera,  with  the  corps  he  commanded  at  Cossaria, 
surrendered  prisoners  of  war.  By  this  victory,  the  French 
acquired  from  seven  to  nine  thousand  prisoners ; and  the 
enemy  had  between  2,000  and  2,500  killed. 

On  the  15th  at  day-break,  Beaulieu,  with  7,000  Austri- 
ans, the  flower  of  his  army,  attacked  the  village  of  Dego 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


97 


with  great  boldness,  and  carried  it.  Massena,  as  sdon  as 
he  had  formed  part  of  hi§  troops,  began  the  attack,  but  was 
repulsed  in  three  different  attempts.  General  Causse  was 
not  more  fortunate  ; having  rallied  the  99th  demi-brigade, 
he  attacked  the  enemy,  and  was  on  the  point  of  charging 
with  the  bayonet,  when  he  fell  mortally  wounded.  In  this 
condition,  perceiving  general  Buonaparte,  he  collected  his 
remaining  strength,  and  asked  him  if  Dego  was  retaken — 
“The  posts  are  ours!”  replied  the  general — “Then,” 
said  Causse,  “ Vive  la  Republique  ! I die  content.”  The 
affair,  however,  was  not  yet  decided,  and  it  was  already  two 
o’clock  of  the  afternoon.  Buonaparte  ordered  a demi-bri- 
gade  to  form  in  column  under  general  Victor,  whilst  adju- 
tant-general Lanus,  rallying  a demi-brigade  of  light  infan- 
try, precipitated  himself,  at  their  head,  on  the  enemy’s  left. 
These  combined  movements  carried  Dego  : the  cavalry 
completed  the  rout  of  the  enemy,  who  left  600  dead  and 
1,400  prisoners.  General  Rusca  had  made  himself  master 
of  the  post  of  San-Giovanni,  which  commands  the  valley  of 
the  Bormida.  General  Augereau,  having  dislodged  the 
enemy  from  the  redoubts  of  Montezemo,  opened  a com- 
munication with  the  valley  of  the  Tanaro,  which  Serrurier’s 
division  had  already  occupied. 

The  activity  with  which  these  measures  were  executed 
cannot  be  too  much  remarked.  The  directory  in  their  let- 
ter to  Buonaparte,  expressed  the  satisfaction  they  felt,  in 
finding  the  choice  they  had  made  of  him  to  conduct  the 
army  of  Italy  to  victory,  justified  by  the  laurels  he  had 
gained.  “ To  day,  general !”  said  they,  “ receive  the  tri- 
bute of  national  gratitude  ; merit  it  more  and  more,  and 
prove  to  Europe,  that  Beaulieu,  by  changing  the  field  of 
battle  has  not  changed  his  opponent ; that,  beaten  in  the 
north,  he  shall  be  constantly  defeated  by  the  brave  army  of 
Italy  ; and  that,  with  such  defenders,  liberty  shall  triumph 
over  the  impotent  efforts  of  the  enemies  of  the  republic.” 
On  the  26th,  general  Buonaparte  published  the  following- 
address  to  his  army,  from  the  head-quarters  at  Cherasco  : 

“ Soldiers  ! In  the  course  of  14  days  you  have  acquired 
six  victories,  taken  21  stand  of  colours,  50  pieces  of  cannon, 
several  strong  fortresses,  and  conquered  the  richest  portion 
of  Piedmont : you  have  taken  1,500  prisoners,  and  killed 
and  wounded  more  than  10,000  men:  vou  have  hitherto. 

13 


93 


THE  LIFE  OF 


however,  fought  only  for  sterile  rocks,  rendered  famous  bf 
your  courage,  but  useless  to  your  country,  and  by  yojur 
services,  you  have  emulated  the  conquering  army  of  Hol- 
land and  the  Rhine.  Destitute  of  every  thing,  you  have 
supplied  everything;  without  cannon  you  have  gained 
battles  ; without  bridges  you  have  crossed  riv<  vs  ; without 
shoes  you  have  performed  forced  marches ; without  bran- 
dy, and  often  without  bread,  you  have  spent  the  night  in 
arms.  Republican  phalanxes ! i he  soldiers  of  liberty  are 
alone  capable  of  suffering  what  you  have  experienced,  and 
your  grateful  country  will  owe  to  you  a part  of  its  prosper- 
ity. If  the  recovery  of  Toulon  presaged  the  immortal  cam- 
paign of  1793,  your  present  victories  augur  a campaign 
still  more  glorious.  The  two  armies,  that  but  lately  at- 
tacked you  with  audacity,  now  fly,  in  terror,  before  you; 
and  the  base  men,  who  ridiculed  your  misery,  and  inward- 
ly rejoiced  at  the  triumph  of  the  foe,  are  abashed  and  trem- 
ble. 

“ It  is,  however,  not  to  be  dissembled,  that  you  have  effect- 
ed nothing,  while  there  remains  any  thing  to  be  performed. 
Neither  Turin  nor  Milan  are  yet  in  your  possession,  and  the 
ashes  of  the  conquerors  of  the  Tarquins  are  still  trodden  on 
by  the  assassins  of  Basseville. 

“ At  the  commencement  of  the  campaign  you  were  des- 
titute of  every  thing;  to-day  you  are  abundantly  supplied  ; 
the  magazines  taken  from  the  enemy  are  numerous,  and  the 
heavy  and  field  artillery  have  arrived.  Your  native  land 
has  a right  to  expect  great  things  from  you,  and  you  will 
justify  its  expectation.  The  greatest  obstacles  have  been 
surmounted,  but  you  have  still  battles  to  fight,  cities  to 
take,  and  rivers  to  pass.  Is  there  one  among  you  whose 
courage  fails  ? Are  there  any  who  prefer  to  re-cross  the 
peaks  of  the  Appenines  and  the  Alps,  and  patiently  submit 
to  the  insults  oi  a slavish  soldiery  ? No, — such  a one  exists 
not  among  the  conquerors  of  Montenotte,  of  Millesimo,  of 
Dego,  and  of  Mondovi ; all  burn  to  extend  afar  the  glory 
of  the  French  nation  ; all  are  eager  to  humble  those  ar- 
rogant monarchs,  who  dared  to  meditate  the  slavery  of 
France  ; all  of  us  wish  to  dictate  a glorious  peace,  that  will 
indemnify  our  country  for  the  immense  sacrifices  it  has 
made:  and  every  one  wishes,  on  returning  to  his  native  vil- 
lage, to  be  able  to  assert  with  pnde,  that  he  was  of  the  con- 
quering army  of  Italy. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


99 


“ This  conquest  I promise  to  you,  but  on  a condition 
tha‘  it  is  necessary  you  should  swear  to  observe,  This 
condition  is,  to  respect  the  people  whom  you  liberate,  and 
to  repress  the  dreadful  pillage  which  are  only  committed  by 
miscreants.  Without  the  observance  of  this,  the  republi- 
can army  wil  not  be  the  deliverers  of  the  people,  but  their 
scourges  ; they  will  not  be  the  honour  of  the  French  na- 
tion, out  they  will  be  disclaimed  by  their  country  ; your 
victories,  your  courage,  your  success,  and  the  blood  of 
your  brethren  who  have  fallen  in  battles — ill,  even  their 
honour,  and  your  glory  will  be  lost.  As  to  myself,  and  the 
generals  enjoying  the  confidence  of  the  troops,  they  will 
blush  to  command  an  armv  without  discipline  or  restraint, 
and  which  recognizes  no  law,  but  that  of  force.  Invested 
with  tne  national  authority,  and  rendered  strong  by  justice 
and  the  laws,  I know  how  to  compel  the  few,  who  are  des- 
titute of  courage  and  sentiment,  to  respect  the  laws  of  hu- 
manity and  honour,  should  they  dare  to  trample  them  under 
foot.  I will  not  suffer  brigands  to  sully  the  laurels  of  the 
army  of  Italy  ; I will  see  that  every  regulation  be  rigorously 
executed  ; marauders  shall  be  shot  without  pity.  Already 
some  have  fallen  victims  to  this  odious  crime  ; but  I re- 
marked with  pleasure  the  eagerness  and  good  conduct 
which  my  brave  fellow-soldiers  have  displayed  in  executing 
their  orders. 

“ I proclaim  to  the  nation  of  Italy,  that  the  French  army 
come  to  break  their  chains ; that  the  French  people  are  the 
friends  of  all  nations ; and  I call  on  them  to  approach  with 
confidence ; and  I declare,  that  their  property,  their  reli- 
gion, and  usages,  will  be  respected,  that  the  French  troops, 
in  making  war,  will  prove  a generous  enemy,  and  that  they 
are  the  foes  of  those  tyrants  only,  who  enslave  Italy.” 

Buonaparte,  in  his  dispatches,  informed  the  directory  of 
his  intention  of  sending  to  Paris,  as  soon  as  possible,  the 
finest  pictures  of  Corregio,  and  among  others,  a St.  Jerome, 
said  to  be  his  master-piece. — “ I confess,”  observed  Buo- 
naparte, “ this  saint  has  chosen  an  unlucky  moment  to  ar- 
rive at  Paris  ; but  I hope  you  will  grant  him  the  honours  of 
the  museum.” 

The  senate  of  Venice  ordered  Louis  XVIII.  to  quit  its 
territories,  and  the  grand  duke  of  Tuscany  sued  for  favour. 
The  king  of  Naples  sent  a minister  to  Genoa  to  negociate 


100 


THE  LIFE  OF 


for  peace,  and  all  the  sea-ports  of  the  peninsula  were  shut 
against  the  English.  The  route  to  Milan,  which  had  been 
opened  to  the  French,  was  not  secure  until  the  Austrians 
should  be  driven  from  the  banks  of  the  Adda.  Buonaparte 
had  disposed  the  march  of  his  divisions  in  such  a manner, 
that,  in  less  than  three  hours,  he  could  unite  them  in  any 
one  point ; but  Beaulieu  had  already  placed  the  Adda  be- 
tween himself  and  the  French,  and  waited  them,  in  order 
of  battle,  at  the  end  of  abridge,  lOOtoises  in  length,  and 
he  hoped  to  arrest  their  progress  by  covering  it  with  a nu- 
merous artillery.  This  bridge,  to  pass  which  was  even  a 
bolder  undertaking  than  crossing  the  Po,  lay  at  the  town  of 
Lodi  : it  was  at  the  head  of  this  bridge,  on  the  side  next 
the  city,  that  Buonaparte  was  to  plant,  under  a shower  of 
grape  shot,  two  pieces  of  cannon,  in  order  to  prevent  the 
enemy  from  breaking  it  down,  whilst  a column  was  form- 
ing to  carry  the  pass.  The  French  entered  Lodi,  and 
Beaulieu,  with  his  whole  army  and  30  pieces  of  heavy  can- 
non, defended  the  passage  of  the  bridge.  Buonaparte  or- 
dered a battery  to  be  formed  of  all  his  artillery,  and  the 
cannonade  continued  for  several  hours  with  great  vivacity. 
As  the  troops  arrived  they  formed  in  close  column  with  the 
second  battalion  of  carabineers  at  their  head,  followed  by  ail 
the  grenadier  battalions,  at  charge-step,  amidst  reiterated 
acclamations  of  Vive  la  Republique  ! They  presented 
themselves  at  the  bridge  ; but  the  Austrians  kept  up  so 
tremendous  a fire,  that  the  soldiers  who  advanced  fell  by 
columns  ; they  retreated,  but  were  again  rallied  on,  and  the 
slaughter  was  again  dreadful ; a second  time  they  retreated, 
but  Buonaparte  was  immoveable  in  his  determination  ; again 
they  rushed  forward,  over  the  dead  bodies  of  their  com- 
rades, and  the  generals  Berthier,  Massena,  Cervoni,  Dalle- 
magne,  the  chief  of  brigade  Lasnes,  and  the  chief  of  bat- 
talion, Dupat,  placed  themselves  at  the  head  of  the  column, 
and  passed  the  bridge  : the  generals  Rusca,  Augereau,  and 
Bayrand,  with  their  divisions,  had  passed  the  Adda,  at  a 
ford,  a few  miles  below  Lodi,  at  the  time  the  French  be- 
gan to  force  the  bridge,  and  they  attacked  the  Austrians 
suddenly  in  the  rear,  at  the  time  when  they  thought  the 
French  were  only  on  one  side  of  the  river,  and  this  decided 
the  wavering  fortune  of  the  day.  The  whole  line  of  artil- 
lery was  instantly  carried,  Beaulieu’s  order  of  battle  bro- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  101 

ken,  and  the  French  troops  spread  terror  and  death  in  all  di- 
rections : the  hostile  army  was  immediately  dispersed, 
though  the  Austrian  cavalry  endeavoured  to  protect  the  re- 
treat of  the  infantry,  and  with  that  intent  charged  the  French. 
The  imperialists  lost  20  pieces  of  cannon,  and  between  two 
and  three  thousand  men,  killed,  wounded,  and  taken  pris- 
oners. The  brave,  but  unfortunate  Beaulieu,  with  the 
wreck  of  his  army,  took  refuge  under  the  cannon  of  Man- 
tua, and  abandoned  Pizzighitone,  Cremona,  and  the  whole 
of  the  Milanese,  to  the  French.  Buonaparte,  in  his  dis- 
patches to  the  directory,  after  narrating  this  memorable  bat- 
tle, observes,  That,  although  since  the  commencement  of 
the  campaign  the  French  had  been  engaged  in  many  warm 
contests  (and  it  was,  perhaps,  necessary  the  army  of  the  re- 
public should  sometimes  suffer  for  its  audacity)  none  ap- 
proached the  terrible  passage  of  the  bridge  of  Lodi : the 
French,  after  the  engagement  of  Fombio,  pursued  the  Aus- 
trians as  far  as  Pizzighitone  ; they  invested  it  on  the  11th, 
and  entered  it  on  the  12th,  after  a brisk  cannonade,  and  took 
about  400  prisoners.  Cremona  surrendered  to  the  victors 
without  resistance,  and  the  vanguard  of  Buonaparte  took 
the  route  to  Milan,  and  entered  it  on  the  15th,  having  recei- 
ved on  their  march  the  submission  of  Pavia,  where  they 
found  almost  all  the  magazines  of  the  imperial  army.  From 
this  moment  the  conquest  of  Lombardy  may  be  regarded 
as  complete  ; for,  although  the  castle  of  Milan  still  held  out, 

| the  tri-coloured  flag  floated  from  the  extremity  of  the  lake 
of  Como,  and  the  frontiers  of  the  country  of  the  Grisons, 
as  far  as  the  gates  of  Parma.  Such  rapid  success,  and  so 
many  engagements  and  victories,  in  so  short  a space  of  time, 
rendered  some  days  of  repose  necessary  to  an  army  fatigued 
with  constantly  rapid  marches  and  engagements.  The 
Austrians  had  evacuated  Milan  soon  after  the  news  of  the 
battle  of  Lodi ; and,  when  the  French  prepared  to  enter 
the  city,  a deputation  of  the  inhabitants  carried  to  them  the 
■ key  of  its  gates.  The  court  of  the  archduke  immediately 
departed,  and  the  archduke  and  duchess  testified  great  sor- 
!;  row  at  quitting  their  capital : the  streets  and  squares,  through 
which  they  passed,  were  crowded  with  people,  who  shewed 
no  signs  either  of  joy  or  sorrow,  and  a very  few  of  the  no- 
bility attended  the  court  in  its  flight.  A day  or  two  after, 
the  people  assembled  in  great  crowds  to  witness  the  entry  of 


102 


THE  LTFE  OF 


the  French,  and  almost  all  put  on  the  national  cockade ; the 
Imperial  arms  were  taken  down  from  most  of  the  public 
buildings,  and,  at  the  ducal  palaces  a ludicrous  advertise- 
ment w.is  stuck  up,  in  the  following  words,  “ A house  to 
let,  enquire  for  the  keys  at  citizen  Salicetti’s,  the  French 
commissioner  many  of  the  nobility  took  the  lace  off  their 
liveries,  and  the  arms  off  their  carriages.  On  the  14th  of 
May,  the  tree  of  liberty  was  planted,  with  great  ceremony, 
in  the  grand  square  ; and  about  eleven  o’clock,  the  same 
day,  general  Massena  entered  the  city,  at  the  head  of  his 
troops.  A deputation  from  the  city,  preceded  by  the  arch- 
bishop, went  out  to  meet  him  ; upon  entering,  he  clapped 
the  keys,  which  had  been  given  him,  one  against  the  other, 
in  token  of  rejoicing. 

The  entry  of  Buonaparte  was  extremely  brilliant  : the 
national  guard,  who  were  all  on  duty,  lowered  their  arms 
to  him,  and  the  nobility  and  gentry  of  the  city  went  out  to 
meet  him  in  their  most  splendid  carriages,  and  returned  in 
the  procession,  amidst  the  shouts  of  an  immense  popu- 
lace : the  cavalcade  proceeded  to  the  archducal  palace, 
where  he  was  to  lodge,  attended  by  several  bands  of  mu- 
sicians, playing  patriotic  marches  and  symphonies ; and  soon 
after  his  arrival,  he  sat  down  to  a dinner  of  two  hundred 
covers.  The  day  was  concluded  by  an  elegant  ball,  where 
the  ladies  vied  with  each  other  in  expresssions  of  patriot- 
ism, by  wearing  the  French  national  colours  in  every  part  of 
their  attire.  The  day  following  Buonaparte  received  many 
visits  from  the  citizens,  and  in  the  evening  there  was  a con- 
cert of  vocal  and  instrumental  music  at  the  theatre.  The 
next  day  all  the  chests,  containing  the  property  of  the  arch- 
duke and  the  city,  were  emptied  into  the  French  coffers, 
and  a splendid  national  fete  was  given  the  day  after,  with 
considerable  enthusiasm,  which  finished  in  the  evening  with 
a general  illumination ; the  whole  was  terminated  by  send- 
ing deputations  into  the  different  towns  and  villages,  to 
instruct  the  people  in  the  principles  of  liberty  and  equality. 

Buonaparte  issued  a proclamation  to  the  people  of  Lom- 
bardy on  the  30th  Fioreal,  or  21st  of  May,  stating,  “ That 
the  French  republic,  which  had  sworn  hatred  to  kings,  had 
sworn,  at  the  same  time,  fraternity  to  the  people,  and  re- 
spect for  property,  persons,  and  religion  ; that  the  French 
people  .regarding  the  people  of  Lombardy  as  their  brethren, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


103 


had  a right  to  expect  a just  return,  ai  d he,  therefore,  should 
impose  a contribution  of  20,000,000  livres,  which  should 
be  raised,  in  equal  proportions,  by  the  different  districts  of 
Lombardy  : “ the  necessities  of  the  army,”  says  he,  “re- 
quire it,  and  it  is  a slight  sum  for  a country  so  fertile,  con- 
sidering, too,  the  advantages  that  must  result  from  it.” 

T wentv-one  standards,  monuments  of  the  defeats  of  the 
Austrian  and  Piedmontese  armies,  had  been  already  trans- 
mitted to  Paris,  and  presented  in  its  name  to  the  execu- 
tive directory.  These  trophies  were  received  by  them  in 
a public  sitting,  amidst  the  acclamations  of  Vive  la  Repub- 
lique,  and  the  very  day  on  which  Buonaparte  entered  Milan 
the  ambassadors  of  the  king  of  Sardinia  signed,  at  Paris, 
the  definitive  treaty  of  peace  between  that  sovereign  and 
France.  The  government,  desirous  of  encouraging  the  ar- 
dour of  the  troops,  by  a public  acknowledgment  of  their 
services,  decreed  the  celebration  of  a Fete  des  Victoires,  on 
the  29th  of  May,  and  it  was  observed  at  Paris  in  the  fol- 
lowing manner  : 

At  ten  in  the  morning  a discharge  of  artillery  announ- 
ced the  festival,  which  was  to  commence  at  noon  in  the 
Champ  de  Mars.  In  the  centre  of  the  field  a statue  of  lib- 
erty was  placed,  decorated  with  various  military  trophies, 
having  one  hand  resting  on  the  constitutional  act,  and  the 
other  holding  a batoon,  surmounted  with  the  bonnet  of 
William  Tell.  The  platform,  on  which  the  statue  was  fix- 
ed, was  elevated  12  feet  on  a diameter  of  30  toises,  and 
was  approached  by  four  steps,  each  60  feet  in  length  ; the 
circumference  of  the  platform  was  ornamented  with  14 
trees,  from  which  were  suspended  the  trophies  and  stand- 
ards of  14  armies,  having  their  names  inscribed  on  shields, 
placed  at  regular  distances  in  front  of  the  trees  : the  inter- 
vening spaces  were  filled  with  military  ensigns,  fastened  to- 
gether with  garlands,  in  form  of  festoons.  Behind  the  stat- 
ue of  liberty  rose  a large  tree,  from  which  were  suspended, 
as  trophies,  the  standards  taken  from  the  enemy,  all  united 
by  garlands  of  flowers  : in  front  of  the  statue  an  altar  was 
erected,  and  on  it  were  deposited  crowns  of  oak  and  of  lau- 
rel, which  the  executive  directory,  who  occupied  that  sta- 
tion, were  to  distribute  in  the  name  of  the  gratitude  of  the 
country. 

The  constituted  authorities  took  their  stations  on  the 


104 


THE  LIFE  OF 


mount  raised  in  the  midst  of  the  Champ  de  Mars  ; an  im- 
mense crowd  covered  the  extensive  slope  which  runs  round 
the  field,  while  a cordon  of  the  national  guards  of  Paris  en- 
closed the  whole  extent  of  the  circle.  Infantry  and  caval- 
ry were  ranged  in  order  of  battle  in  this  inclosure,  and  a 
double  line  of  troops  extended  from  L'Ecole  Mi  lit  air  c,  to 
the  steps  of  the  mount  facing  them.  A deputation  of  the 
constituted  authorities  proceeded  to  the  military  school, 
whither  the  directory  had  repaired,  and  soon  after  this  the 
latter  appeared,  preceded  by  the  ministers,  the  diplomatic 
body,  the  deputation  of  the  constituted  authorities,  a vast 
number  of  military  on  horseback,  and  its  own  guard,  the 
whole  train  marching  in  great  state  to  the  sound  of  milita- 
ry music.  The  directors  were  stationed  in  front  of  the 
statue  of  liberty,  while  the  ministers  and  diplomatic  corps 
took  their  places  as  had  been  previously  concerted.  The 
national  guards  on  duty,  divided  into  14  bodies,  represent- 
ing the  14  armies,  carried  each  a distinctive  standard  : to 
each  of  these  corps  were  added  a certain  number  of  inva- 
lid veterans,  or  wounded  soldiers,  and  care  was  taken  to 
place  them  in  the  corps  representing  the  army  to  which 
they  originally  belonged  : these  wounded  soldiers,  or  vet- 
erans, conducted  by  officers,  and  accompanied  with  the  col- 
ours of  their  respective  armies,  were  to  present  themselves  to 
the  directory,  who  placed  crowns  on  their  standards.  YV  hen 
all  had  taken  their  proper  stations,  the  conservatory  of  mu- 
sic performed  a military  symphony  by  Louis  Jadin  ; after 
which  a profound  silence  was  observed,  when  the  secretary- 
general  read  the  decree,  fixing  the  celebration  of  the  festi- 
val, and  pointing  out  its  motive. 

From  the  period  of  which  we  are  speaking  Europe  may 
be  supposed  to  have  entered  upon  a new  era  ; the  ancient 
political  code  was  trampled  under  foot  by  the  conqueror, 
and  instead  of  that  high  sense  of  honour,  which  would  in 
former  periods,  have  raised  every  arm  in  its  defence,  and 
have  determined  every  virtuous  mind  in  Christendom  to 
share  the  worst  of  deaths,  in  preference  to  the  least  dis- 
grace : it  now  became  the  fashion  for  courts  and  cabinets 
to  cringe  beneath  the  French  yoke,  and  to  cast  about  for 
some  apology  for  abandoning  the  law  of  nations.  The 
weakness  of  the  individual  states  of  Italy,  was  supposed  to 
be  a sufficient  excuse  for  the  submission  of  the  whole,  and 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


105 


the  retention  of  a nominal  sovereignty  a sufficient  compen- 
sation for  the  loss  of  honour  : they  thought  that  uncondition- 
al submission  would  divest  the  enemy  of  an  hostile  motive  ; 
for  it  did  not  occur  to  those  states,  that  the  power  which 
would  retain  its  independence  the  longest,  would  be  that 
Which  should  defend  itself  with  the  most  powerful  resist- 
ance. 

The  duke  of  Modena  became  more  alarmed  as  the 
French  proceeded  : he  was,  therefore,  desirous  of  peace, 
and  purchased  an  armistice  of  Buonaparte  at  a most  exces- 
sive price  : he  agreed  to  pay  to  the  French  republic 
7,500,000  livres,  French  money;  to  furnish  2,500,000 
livres  in  provisions,  powder,  and  other  military  stores,  for 
the  French  army  ; and  to  deliver  twenty  paintings,  taken 
from  his  gallery,  or  his  dominions,  to  be  selected  by  per- 
sons nominated  by  the  French  for  that  purpose. 

Buonaparte  had  set  out  from  Milan  on  the  24th,  to  repair 
to  Lodi,  leaving  only  at  Milan  the  number  of  troops  neces- 
sary for  the  blockade  of  the  castle.  Scarcely  had  he  reach- 
ed Lodi,  when  general  Despinoy  apprised  him,  that  three 
hours  after  his  departure  the  tocsin  was  sounded  in  Lom- 
bardy, and  that  it  was  industriously  circulated,  Nice  had 
been  taken  by  the  English,  the  army  of  Conde  had  arrived 
by  Switzerland,  on  the  confines  of  the  Milanese,  and  Beau- 
lieu, reinforced  with  60,0u0  men,  was  on  his  march  to  Mi- 
lan.— Every  where,  and  by  every  possible  means,  thepeo- 
: pie  were  called  on  to  arm  against  the  French ; the  nobles 
had  dismissed  their  domestics,  teliing  them,  that  equality 
did  not  permit  the  continuance  of  their  services  ; and  all 
the  partisans  oi  the  house  of  Austria,  the  Sbirri,  and  agents 
of  the  customs,  appeared  in  the  front.  The  inhabitants  of 
Pavia,  reinforced  with  five  or  six  thousand  peasants,  invest- 
ed the  citadel,  in  which  there  were  only  300  French. 

At  Milan  the  people  destroyed  the  tree  of  liberty,  tearing 
in  pieces  the  tri-coioured  cockade,  and  trampling  it  under 
foot.  General  Despinoy,  the  commander,  mounted  his 
; horse,  whilst  some  patroles  put  the  populace  to  flight.  The 
gate  leading  to  Pavia  was  still  in  the  possession  of  the  re- 
; bels,  who  every  moment  expected  the  peasants,  whom  they 
meant  to  introduce  into  the  city  : to  compel  them  to  sub- 
mission, a terrible  charge  was  made,  and  the  example  of  a 

14 


106 


THE  LIFE  OF 


dreadful  death  restored  tranquillity,  but  the  city  was  given 
up  to  pillage  for  24  hours. 

The  moment  Buonaparte  was  informed  of  these  proceed- 
ings, he  hastened  back  with  300  horse,  and  a battalion  of 
grenadiers.  On  his  arrival  at  Milan,  he  ordered  a great 
number  of  hostages  to  be  arrested,  and  those  persons  to  be 
shot  who  had  been  taken  in  arms,  at  the  same  time  intima- 
ting to  the  archbishop,  chapter,  monks,  and  nobles,  that 
they  should  be  responsible  for  the  public  tranquillity.  The 
municipality  imposed  a fine  of  three  livres  for  every  do- 
mestic discharged  ; and  order  being  thus  re-established  at 
Milan,  Buonaparte  proceeded  to  Pavia. 

Buonaparte  now  issued  a proclamation,  purporting,  that 
the  nobles,  the  priests,  and  the  agents  of  Austria,  had  led 
astray  the  inhabitants  of  these  delightful  countries  ; that 
the  French  army,  as  generous  as  brave,  would  treat  as 
brethren  the  peaceable  natives,  but  that  it  would  be  terrible 
as  the  fire  of  heaven,  to  rebels,  and  to  the  villages  that  gave 
them  protection.  He  therefore  declared  all  those  villages 
to  be  in  a state  of  rebellion  which  had  not  complied  with  his- 
order  of  the  25th  ; and  directed  the  generals  to  march 
against  them  the  forces  necessary  to  suppress  the  insur- 
gents, to  set  fire  to  them,  and  to  shoot,  upon  the  spot,  all 
who  were  found  with  arms  in  their  hands.  All  priests  and 
nobles,  in  the  rebellious  communes,  were  to  be  arrested  as 
hostages,  and  sent  into  France  : all  villages  where  the  toc- 
sin was  sounded  were  to  be  instantly  burnt ; and  the  gene- 
rals were  made  responsible  for  the  execution  of  the  order. 
The  villages  in  whose  territory  a single  Frenchman  was  as- 
sassinated, were  to  pay  a triple  contribution  of  the  sum  they 
annually  paid  to  the  archduke,  until  they  should  give  up 
the  assassin. — Everyman  found  with  a musket  and  ammu- 
nition, was  to  be  immediately  shot,  by  order  of  the  general 
commanding  the  jurisdiction.  Wherever  concealed  arms 
were  found,  the  place  was  to  be  condemned  to  pay  thrice 
its  usual  revenue  by  way  of  fine ; and  every  house,  where 
a musket  was  found,  was  to  be  burnt,  unless  the  proprietor 
should  declare  to  whom  the  arms  belonged.  All  the  no- 
bles and  rich  persons  who  should  be  convicted  of  exciting 
the  people  to  revolt,  either  by  discharging  their  domestics, 
or  by  their  discourses  against  the  French,  were  to  be  arrest- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  10? 

ed  as  hostages,  and  carried  away  to  France,  and  a part  of 
their  revenues  confiscated.  • 

About  this  time,  Buonaparte  attended  the  theatre  at  Mi- 
lan, at  the  representation  of  Metastasio’s  opera  of  Cato  ; and 
the  audience,  as  if  desirous  to  regain  the  esteem  of  a man, 
whose  austerity  was  equalled  only  by  his  power,  applauded 
every  passage  which  they  chose  to  apply  to  him,  and,  after 
the  piece,  a crown  of  laurels  was  placed  on  his  head. 

Buonaparte  removed  his  head-quarters  to  Verona  on  the 
3d  of  June,  where  he  left  a strong  garrison,  in  order  to  se- 
cure the  three  bridges  across  the  Adige  at  that  place.  Gen- 
eral Beaulieu,  who  had  been  so  constantly  unfortunate,  was 
succeeded  by  marshal  Wurmser,  who  had,  indeed,  not  been 
much  more  fortunate,  but  who  had  ejected  more. 

'After  the  engagement  at  Borghetto,  the  passage  of  the 
Mincio,  the  taking  of  Pcschiera,  and  the  flight  of  the  ene- 
my into  the  Tyrol,  the  French  invested  Mantua,  which  re- 
quired a formal  siege,  and  the  Frencbjiad  few  means  where- 
with to  undertake  it.  Intending  to  penetrate  into  the  Ty- 
rolese, Buonaparte  addressed  a manifesto  on  the  14th  of 
June,  to  the  warlike  people  of  these  lofty  mountains.  He 
informed  them,  that  he  was  to  cross  their  territory,  in  order 
to  compel  the  court  of  Vienna  to  a peace,  as  necessary  to 
Europe  as  to  its  own  subjects.  It  was  their  own  cause 
he  was  to  defend,  for  they  had  been  too  long  harassed  by 
the  horrors  of  a war,  undertaken,  not  for  the  interest  of 
Germany,  but  to  gratify  the  passions  of  a single  family. — 
The  French  army  respected  and  loved  all  nations,  and  more 
especially  the  simple  and  virtuous  inhabitants  of  the  moun- 
tains. “ Your  religion  and  your  usages,”  said  he,  “shall 
be  every  where  respected.  Our  troops  will  maintain  a se- 
vere discipline,  and  nothing  will  be  taken  without  being 
paid  for  in  money.  You  will  receive  us  with  hospitality, 
and  we  will  treat  you  with  fraternity  and  friendship  ; but  if 
there  are  any  so  little  acquainted  with  their  real  interests  as 
to  take  up  arms,  and  treat  us  as  enemies,  we  will  be  terrible 
as  the  fire  of  heaven  ; we  will  burn  their  houses,  and  de- 
vastate the  villages  which  shall  take  part  in  a war  that  is  for- 
eign to  them.  Do  not  suffer  yourselves  to  be  led  astray  by 
the  agents  of  Austria.  Ensure  your  country,  already 
harassed  by  five  years  of  war,  from  the  misfortunes  which 
must  afflict  it.  Ere  long  the  court  of  Vienna,  forced  to 


108 


THE  LIFE  OF 


accede  to  peace,  shall  restore  to  the  nations  the  privileges 
which  it  has  usurped,  and  to  Europe  the  tranquillity  it  has 
interrupted.” 

The  division  of  general  Augereau,  having  crossed  the 
Po  at  Borgolorte  on  the  16th,  arrived  at  Bologna  on  the 
19th,  where  they  found  400  of  the  pope’s  soldiers,  who 
were  made  prisoners.  Buonaparte  leftTortona  on  the  1 7th 
and  arrived  on  the  19th  at  Modena,  from  whence  he  sent 
orders,  by  adjutant-general  Vignole,  to  the  garrison  of  the 
citadel  of  Urbino,  to  opgj  its  gates,  lay  down  their  arms, 
and  surrender  prisoners  of  war  ; after  this  he  continued  his 
route  to  Bologna,  which  he  reached  at  midnight.  The 
French  took  in  Fort  Urbino  50  pieces  of  cannon,  in  ex- 
cellent condition,  500  muskets  of  calibre,  and  of  a very 
fine  model,  and  provisions  for  600  men  for  two  months.' — 
Fort  Urbino  was  in  a good  state  of  defence,  encircled  by  a 
wall  with  covered  bastions,  and  surrounded  by  ditches  full 
of  water,  having  a covered  way  newly  repaired.  It  was 
commanded  by  a knight  of  Malta,  with  300  men,  who 
were  taken  prisoners.  At  Bologna,  the  cardinal  legate  was 
taken,  with  all  the  officers  of  the  etat-major,  and  four  stand- 
ards. The  cardinal  legate  of  Ferrara,  was  also  taken  pris- 
oner with  the  commandant  of  that  fort,  who  was  likewise  a j 
knight  of  Malta:  in  the  castle  of  Ferrara,  there  were  114 
pieces  of  cannon. 

During  these  militar)-  operations,  the  20  paintings,  which  , 
were  to  be  furnished  by  Parma,  were  on  their  way  to  Paris  ; 
and  among  them  the  celebrated  one  of  St.  Jerome,  which 
was  in  such  high  estimation  that  a million  was  offered  to 
redeem  it.  The  paintings  from  Modena  were  also  on  the 
road,  and  the  citizen  Barthelemy  was  employed  in  selecting 
about  50  of  the  paintings  of  Bologna,  while  the  naturalists 
Monge,  Bertholet,  and  Thouin,  were  engaged  at  Pavia 
and  Bologna,  in  collecting  plants  and  other  objects  of  natural 
history. 

At  Milan,  the  celebrated  astronomer,  Oriani,  paid  a visit 
to  the  commander  in  chief,  who  had  written  him  a letter 
by  direction  of  the  French  government.  This  attention  of 
Buonaparte  conciliated  the  minds  of  the  learned  men  of 
Italy,  and  attached  to  the  revolution  a class  of  men,  who 
anticipated  the  loss  of  their  stations,  with  which  they  be- 
lieved this  revolution  menaced  them.  “ The  sciences,”  said 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


109 


Buonaparte,  in  his  letter  to  Oriani,  “ which  ennoble  the  hu- 
man mind,  and  the  arts  which  embellish  life,  «and  transmit 
illustrious  actions  to  posterity,  should  be  peculiarly  respect- 
ed in  free  governments.  All  men  of  genius, — all  those  who 
have  obtained  a distinguished  rank  in  the  republic  of  letters, 
are  Frenchmen,  in  whatever  country  they  may  have  been 
born  The  learned  did  not  enjoy  in  Milan  the  consideration 
to  which  they  are  entitled  ; retired  in  the  recess  of  their  la- 
baratories,  they  esteemed  themselves  happy,  if  kings  and 
priests  were  kind  enough  to  do  them  no  harm.  To-day  it 
is  not  so  ; opinion  is  free  in  Italy — the  inquisition,  intol- 
erance, and  despotism  are  no  more.  I invite  the  learned 
to  assemble,  and  propose  to  me  their  sentiments  on  the 
means  necessary  to  be  taken,  or  the  aid  they  may  require, 
to  give  nev^  life  and  existence  to  the  sciences  and  fine  arts. 
All  those  who  may  be  desirous  of  going  to  France  will  be 
received  with  distinction  by  the  government.  The  French 
nation  sets  a greater  value  on  the  acquisition  of  a learned 
mathematician,  a painter  of  reputation,  or  any  one  who  has 
distinguished  himself,  whatever  may  be  his  profession,  than 
of  the  richest  and  most  abundant  city.  Be  you,  then,  citi- 
/■zen  ! the  organ  of  these  sentiments  to  all  at  Milan  distin- 
guished for  their  learning.” 

Buonaparte  likewise  wrote  to  the  municipalities  of  Pavia 
and  Milan,  desiring  that  the  celebrated  university  of  Pavia 
might  resume  the  course  of  its  studies  : he  requested  them 
I to  inform  its  learned  professors,  and  numerous  students, 
that  the  French. general  invited  them  to  repair  forthwith  to 
| Pavia,  and  propose  to  him  the  measures  they  might  think 
proper  to  be  taken,  to  give  activity,  and  a more  brilliant 
existence  to  that  illustrious  seminary. 

On  the  28th,  Buonaparte  set  out  to  join  the  column 
already  at  the  gates  of  Leghorn.  An  English  frigate, 
on  going  out  of  the  harbour,  was  fired  at,  but  without 
! effect : some  hours  before  the  French  troops  arrived, 

1 mere  than  40  English  vessels,  fully  laden,  left  Leghorn. 
The  general  ordered  the  chevalier  Spannochi,  governor  of 
the  city  for  the  grand  duke,  to  be  arrested  : he  was  con- 
ducted to  Florence  by  his  own  soldiers,  and  on  his  arrival 
I there  sent  to  prison  by  order  of  the  grand  duke. 

Buonaparte  informed  the  grand  duke  of  these  proceed- 
ings in  the  following  letter : 


110 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Head-quarters  at  Leghorn ; II  th  Messidor, 
• 4th  year  (29th  June , 1796.) 

“Royal  Highness, 

“ An  hour  before  we  entered  Leghorn,  an  English  frigate 
carried  off  two  French  ships,  valued  at  500,000  livres. 
The  governor,  contrary  to  the  intention  of  your  royal 
highness,  and  the  neutrality  of  the  port  of  Leghorn,  suffer- 
ed them  to  be  taken  under  the  guns  of  his  batteries.  I pre- 
fer a complaint  to  your  royal  highness  against  this  man, 
who  in  his  whole  condi^t  displays  a decided  hatred  towards 
the  French.  He  yesterday  endeavoured,  at  the  moment  of 
our  arrival,  to  incite  the  people  to  rise  up  against  us,  and 
there  is  no  kind  of  ill  treatment  he  did  not  make  our  advan- 
ced guard  experience.  I should,  doubtless,  have  been  jus- 
tified in  bringing  him  to  a trial  before  a military  commission, 
but,  from  respect  to  your  royal  highness,  and  intimately 
convinced  of  the  spirit  of  justice  which  directs  all  your  ac- 
tions, I have  preferred  sending  him  to  Florence,  and  am  per- 
suaded you  will  give  orders  to  have  him  punished  severely. 
I must,  at  the  same  time,  return  my  thanks  to  your  royal 
highness  for  your  goodness,  in  appointing  general  Strasaldo 
to  supply  the  army  with  every  thing  necessary  ; he  has  ac- 
quitted himself,  respecting  your  royal  highness’  orders, 
with  equal  zeal  and  success.  Accept,  &c. 

Buonaparte.” 

To  this  letter  the  grand  duke  returned  the  following 
answer : 

“ Genera  l, 

“ General  Spannochi,  arrested  by  your  order,  has  been 
brought  hither.  It  is  from  a principle  of  delicacy,  I keep 
him  in  a state  of  arrest  until  the  motives  for  this  step, 
which  I presume  to  be  just,  are  made  known  to  me,  in  or- 
der to  give  you,  as  well  as  the  French  republic,  and  all 
Europe,  the  strongest  proof  of  equity,  conformably  to  the 
laws  of  my  country,  to  which  laws  I have  always  made  it 
my  duty  to  submit.  I send  this  letter  by  the  marquis 
Manfredini,  my  major-domo,  whom  I request  you  to  in- 
form in  what  Spannochi  has  been  culpable.  You  may,  be- 
sides, repose  full  confidence  in  him  respecting  every  object 
which  interests  the  tranquillity  of  my  subjects.  I ardently 
desire  to  receive  a letter  written  by  yourself,  which,  in  the 
present  circumstances,  may  completely  remove  my  uneasi- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


Ill 


ness,  and  at  the  same  time  assure  the  repose  of  all  Tuscany. 

I am,  with  perfect  esteem,  Ferdinand.” 

The  French  consul  was  ordered  by  Buonaparte  to  put 
seals  on  all  the  English  magazines.  A strong  garrison,  un- 
der the  command  of  general  Vaubois,  was  left  in  the  city 
of  Leghorn.  Buonaparte,  accompanied  by  Berthier,  and  a 
part  of  the  etat-major , passed  through  Florence  in  his  re- 
turn, and  was  entertained  by  the  grand  duke  very  sumptu- 
ously. It  has  been  already  mentioned,  that  on  the  28th 
general  Buonaparte  had  directed  the  consul  of  the  French, 
republic  at  Leghorn  to  put  seals  on  all  the  magazines  be- 
longing to  the  English  : he  was  also  ordered  to  take  simi- 
lar measures  as  to  those  appertaining  to  the  emperor,  the 
empress  of  Russia,  and,  in  general,  all  the  princes  or  sub- 
jects of  states  with  whom  the  French  were  at  war ; and  to 
employ  every  means  necessary  to  discover  the  merchandise 
deposited  in  the  houses  of  the  different  merchants  atLeghorn, 
and  take  possession  of  them. 

While  Buonaparte  was  at  dinner  with  the  grand  duke  at 
Florence,  a courier  brought  intelligence  of  the  taking  of 
the  castle  of  Milan,  with  2,800  prisoners,  150  pieces  of 
feannon,  20,000  pounds  of  powder,  and  a great  quantity  of 
useful  stores.  If  the  young  sovereign  nominally  saved  his 
dominions,  his  sensibility  must  have  suffered  by  entertain- 
ing, in  his  palace,  a general,  whose  family  had  been  num- 
bered among  his  subjects,  who  had  left  a garrison  in  Leg- 
horn, and  who  had  destroyed  all  the  commercial  connections 
subsisting  between  his  friends  the  English  and  the  only 
port  in  his  dominions.  He  had  even  been  compelled  tc 
punish  the  governor  of  his  principal  town,  for  having,  no- 
doubt, been  too  obedient  to  his  master,  and  detached  from 
his  brother,  the  emperor,  his  Italian  dominions.  The  re- 
duction of  the  castle  of  Milan,  announced  at  the  end  of  the 
I entertainment,  must  have  given  additional  chagrin  to  the 
j grand  duke.  When  the  ex-conventionalist  and  commis- 
sioner, Salicetti,  passed  through  Florence,  two  days  after 
. Buonaparte,  he  received  an  invitation  from  his  royal  high- 
ness, which  he  declined. 

Buonaparte  concluded  an  armistice,  on  the  23d  of  June, 
with  the  pope,  on  condition — That  his  holiness  should  send, 
as  soon  as  possible,  a plenipotentiary  to  Paris,  to  obtain  from 
j the  executive  directory  a definitive  peace,  by  offering  the 


112 


THE  LIFE  OB 


necessary  reparations  for  the  outrages  and  losses  suffered  by 
the  French  in  his  territory.  That  the  ports  belonging  to  the 
pope  should  be  shut  against  the  vessels  of  the  powers  at 
war  with  the  republic,  and  be  open  to  French  ships.— That 
the  French  army  should  continue  in  possession  of  the  lega- 
tions of  Bologna  and  Ferrara. — That  the  citadel  of  Ancona 
should  be  put  in  possession  of  the  French  within  live  days, 
with  its  artillery  and  stores. — That  the  pope  should  give  up 
to  the  French  republic  100  paintings,  busts,  vases  or  statues, 
in  the  choice  of  commissaries,  who  should  be  sent  to  Rome  ; 
among  these  articles,  the  bust,  in  bronze,  of  Junius  Brutus, 
and  that  in  marble,  of  Marcus  Brutus,  both  placed  in  the 
eapitol,  should  be  particularly  comprised  ; and  also  500 
manuscripts,  to  be  selected  by  the  same  commissaries. — 
And  that  the  pope  should  pay  to  the  French  republic 
21,000,000  of  livres,  French  money,  of  which  15,500,000 
livres  should  be  in  specie,  or  gold  and  silver  ingots,  and  the 
remaining  5,500,000  livres  in  provisions,  merchandise,  hor- 
ses, or  oxen,  as  should  be  determined  by  the  agents  of  the 
French  republic. 

Buonaparte, 'about  this  time,  began  to  excite  alarm  among 
the  friends  of  liberty  in  France  : in  his  dispatches  to  the 
directory,  he  had  of  late,  omitted  the  usual  form  of  con- 
clusion, “ Salut  et  respect.” — “ Salut ” only  appeared  to  the 
dispatches  of  Buonaparte,  whilst  the  other  generals  closed 
theirs  in  the  ordinary  way.  Roederer,  one  of  the  principal 
journalists,  expressed  his  apprehensions  at  the  critical  situ- 
ation in  which  the  republic  was  placed,  by  generals  pro- 
viding for  their  armies  with  the  spoils  of  conquered  coun- 
tries, when  the  necessities  of  the  state  prevented  them  from 
receiving  supplies  from  home,  and  he  cited  the  examples 
of  Sylla,  Marius,  and  Caesar,  who  conquered  the  liberties 
of  their  country  by  dispersing  among  their  armies  the  trea- 
sures they  had  amassed. 

The  directory,  who  were  themselves  not  exempt  from 
jealousy  at  Buonaparte’s  successes,  saw  that  he  was  too 
powerful  for  their  control;  and,  therefore,  lest  the  language 
of  the  journals  might  have  irritated  his  mind,  they  address- 
ed to  him  a letter,  which  by  the  anxiety  it  expressed  to 
efface  any  suspicion  he  might  have  entertained  of  their  es- 
teem, was  well  calculated  to  make  known  their  fears,  and 
their  consciousness  of  their  own  weakness  : it  discussed,  at. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


113 


great  length,  the  improbability  of  the  journalists  being  any 
thing  more  than  mere  calumniators  of  his  high  reputation, 
which  the  directory  declared  they  were  desirous  of  strenu- 
ously defending.  “ You  enjoy,  citizen  general,”  continues 
their  letter,  “the  confidence  of  the  directory,  and  the  ser- 
vices, which  you  daily  render,  give  you  a title  to  it.  The 
vast  debt  the  republic  owes  to  your  victories,  evinces  that 
you  are  occupied  solely  with  the  glory  and  interests  of  your 
country:  on  this  subject  all  good  citizens  are  unanimous, 
and  you  will  have  no  difficulty  to  abandon  the  vaunting 
and  calumnies  of  others,  to  the  contempt,  which  of  them- 
selves, they  deserve,  on  account  of  the  spirit  that  dictates 
them.” 

This  letter  of  the  directory  was  severely  criticised  by  La 
Cretelle,  another  journalist,  who  denounced  the  directory 
for  meanness,  in  defending  Buonaparte  against  the  attack  of 
a newspaper,  and  condescending  to  flatter  a victorious  gene- 
ral, who  had  evidently  excited  their  jealousy  ; he  shewed 
also,  with  great  force  and  justice,  the  cruelty  of  ingratitude 
on  the  one  hand,  and  idolatry  on  the  other,  to  successful 
generals.  “ The  tribute  of  inconsiderate  homage  to  these 
great  men,”  says  he,  ‘ may  one  day  be  the  ruin  of  their 
country ; let  us,  therefore,  say  little  about  those  of  whom 
posterity  will  say  much — let  us  be  reserved  rather  than  un- 
grateful ; the  legions  which  exalted  the  glory  of  Rome, 
would  not  have  been  dangerous  to  her  liberty  if  she  had  not 
intoxicated  their  generals  by  excessive  adulation  and  praise.” 
These  remarks  evidently  caused  a strong  impression  on 
the  mind  of  Buonaparte;  his  answer  to  the  directory,  and 
his  letter  to  general  Clarke,  on  the  death  of  his  nephew, 
evince  his  chagrin 

“Citizen  Directors, 

“ I have  received,  with  gratitude,  the  fresh  proof  of  your 
esteem,  which  you  have  shewn  me  by  your  letter  of  the 
18th  Thermidor. 

“ I know  not  what  these  gentlemen  want  with  me  ; they 
and  the  Austrians  have  attacked  me  both  together,  but  vou 
have  silenced  them  by  the  publication  of  } our  letter,  and  I 
have  done  for  the  Austrians  ; thus,  at  one  and  the  same 
time,  these  double  attacks  of  my  enemies  have  failed. 

(Signed)  Buonaparte.” 


15 


114 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Letter  to  General  Clarke. 

“ Your  nephew,  Elliot,  was  killed  on  the  field  of  battle 
at  Areola : that  young  man  was  familiarised  to  arms,  and 
has  many  times  marched  to  victory  at  the  head  of  his  troops. 
He  must,  one  day  or  other,  have  become  a great  officer : 
he  died  gloriously  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  and  suffered 
not  for  a moment.  What  reasonable  man  will  not  envy 
him  such  a death  ? Who  is  he,  that,  amidst  the  vicissitudes 
of  life,  will  not  be  thankful  thus  to  quit  a world  so  fre- 
quently contemptible  ? AVho  is  he,  among  us,  that  has  not 
regretted  a hundred  times,  not  to  be  thus  withdrawn  from 
the  powerful  effects  of  calumny,  and  of  all  the  malevolent 
passions,  which  seem  almost  exclusively  to  govern  the 
world?  (Signed)  Buonaparte.” 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

The  victories  of  the  army  of  Italy,  served  at  once  to  per- 
suade all  mankind,  that  the  French  troops  were  invincible, 
and  to  inspire  those  troops  themselves  with  an  idea,  that 
they  were  guided  by  a genius  somewhat  more  than  mortal ; 
yet  are  those  conquests  not  to  be  ascribed  so  much  to  the 
mind,  which  was  the  immediate  means  of  achieving,  and 
the  severity  which  secured  them,  as  to  the  egotism  and  ob- 
stinacy, the  want  of  combination  and  intelligence,  in  the 
cabinets  of  the  allies.  Not  only  were  the  successes  of  the 
French  in  Italy  unforeseen  and  unprovided  for,  but  their 
consequences  were  not  calculated  upon  after  they  had  been 
half  accomplished.  The  combined  powers  had  been 
dreaming  during  the  armistice  on  the  northern  frontier,  and 
their  imaginations  were  so  flushed  with  the  ideal  glories 
that  they  should  acquire  upon  the  banks  of  the  Rhine,  that 
they  did  not  think  it  worth  while  to  interrupt  the  career  of 
the  young  general  of  the  French  in  Italy,  till  they  should 
find  leisure  to  chace  him  for  their  amusement. 

All  the  hopes  of  the  campaign  were  centered  in  the  arch- 
duke Charles,  and  all  the  former  blunders  of  the  war  were 
this  year  to  be  repaired  by  the  heroism  and  talents  of  this 
prince  : it  was  known  that  the  French  had  drawn  consider- 
able supplies  from  the  armies  of  the  North  and  of  the  Rhine, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


115 


to  reinforce  the  army  of  Italy,  but  this  was  regarded  as  a 
favourable  circumstance,  which  only  tended  to  render  vic- 
tory more  certain  in  the  quarter  where  it  was  intended  to 
seek  it ; and  so  few  doubts  were  entertained  of  the  speedy 
subjugation  of  France,  that  the  combined  powers  only  suf- 
fered the  armistice  to  continue  till  the  return  of  fine  weather 
should  enable  them  to  take  a pleasant  march  to  Paris. 

On  the  23d  of  May,  1796,  the  Austrian  commander  in 
chief,  informed  general  Jourdan,  that  the  armistice  was  to 
terminate,  and  that  hostilities  would  commence  on  the  last 
day  of  that  month.  General  Jourdan  accordingly  began  his 
march  with  the  army  of  the  Sambre  and  Meuse,  when  gen- 
eral Marceau  repulsed  the  advanced  posts  of  the  Austrians 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Nahe,  and  the  French  general, 
Championet  was  equally  successful  in  forcing  their  canton- 
ment at  Nidder  Diebach.  General  Kleber,  on  the  same 
day,  marched  towards  the  Sieg,  and  on  the  following  day, 
first  June,  obtained  a victory  over  the  Austrians,  who  lost 
2,400  men,  including  wounded  and  prisoners. 

On  the  15th  of  June  marshal  VVurmser  was  attacked  by 
the  French  general  Moreau  ; he  was  stationed  between 
Jfrankendal  and  the  Re  hut,  his  front  being  protected  by  a 
canal,  and  his  left  wing  by  the  Rebach.  The  French  passed 
the  fortifications,  with  the  water  up  to  their  chins,  in  defi- 
ance of  a tremendous  fire  of  musketry  and  cannon  : they 
engaged  the  Austrians  with  incredible  impetuosity,  became 
masters  of  their  front  works,  and  instantly  constructed  bridg- 
es for  facilitating  the  passage  of  their  cavalry ; after  which 
the  Austrians  were  every  where  defeated,  and,  at  length, 
obliged  to  take  refuge  under  the  cannon  of  Manheim.  The 
greater  part  of  the  Austrian  forces  having  been  marched  to- 
wards the  Lower  Rhine,  for  the  purpose  of  pursuing  gene- 
ral Jourdan,  orders  were  transmitted  from  the  directory  to 
general  Moreau,  to  cross  the  river,  which  he  accomplished 
on  the  24th.  The  republicans  carried  all  the  entrench- 
ments in  the  islands  of  the  Rhine  at  the  point  of  the  bayonet, 
and  with  such  astonishing  rapidity,  that  the  Austrians  could 
not  effect  the  destruction  of  the  bridges  by  which  ihey  kept 
up  a communication  with  their  different  divisions  ; and  they 
all  fell,  of  consequence,  into  the  hands  of  the  French.  The 
conquest  of  Kchl  was  a still  more  arduous  undertaking. 
After  general  Moreau  had  landed  his  first  division,  he  im 


116 


THE  LIFE  OF 


mediately  sent  back  the  boats  by  which  they  had  been  con- 
veyed ; thus,  prevented  from  retreating,  they  fought  with 
desperation.  The  first  redoubt  which  the  Austrians  had 
erected  on  the  plain  for  their  defence,  consisting  of  five 
mortars,  and  300  men,  was  carried  by  the  republicans,  while 
the  artillery  they  got  possession  of  enabled  them  to  assail 
the  remaining  entrenchments  with  some  hope  of  success  : 
they  were  taken  in  rapid  succession  ; the  Austrians  were 
under  the  necessity  of  abandoning  Kehl,  and  were  pursued 
by  the  conquerors  in  their  retreat  towards  Offenburg ; the 
number  of  their  killed  and  wounded  was  very  great,  and 
about  800  were  taken  prisoners ; they  also  lost  16  pieces  of 
cannon,  together  with  2,000  muskets.  The  French  were 
now  enabled  to  construct  a bridge  between  Kehl  and  the 
islands  of  the  Rhine,  and  thereby  procure  a passage  for  the 
rest  of  the  army. 

General  Desaix  received  orders  to  engage  the  Austrians 
at  Radstadt  on  the  4th  of  July,  and  hostilities  commenced  at 
Guersbach,  the  place  which  defended  the  left  wing  of  the 
imperial  army,  on  the  5th.  To  oblige  them  to  abandon 
Radstadt,  by  turning  their  left,  general  Lecourbe  attacked 
them  between  Olbach  and  the  mountains,  while  general 
D ecaen  received  orders  to  seize,  if  possible,  on  the  bridge 
of  Kuppenheim,  and  dislodge  them  from  the  mountains ; 
and,  after  an  obstinate  conflict,  which  continued  for  the 
space  of  three  hours,  the  republicans  compelled  them  to 
abandon  Kuppenheim.  The  left  side  of  the  river  was  still 
possessed  by  the  Austrians,  in  the  vicinity  of  Olbach,  the 
passage  of  which  was  forced  by  the  French  infantry,  who 
also  attacked  the  wood  of  Nidderbicbel  ; and,  after  a con- 
test of  three  hours,  they  were  completely  successful,  while 
another  demi-brigade  of  infantry  took  possession  of  the 
woods  near  OttersdorfF.  In  this  manner,  both  wings  of  the 
Austrian  army  being  almost  surrounded,  were  under  the 
necessity  of  seeking  shelter  by  repassing  the  Murg.  On 
this  occasion  the  French  made  1,300  prisoners,  but  their 
own  loss,  in  all  probability,  was  more  considerable,  as  the 
Austrians,  from  their  position,  could  act  with  much  greater 
advantage. 

General  Moreau  gave  orders  to  general  St.  Cyr,  who 
commanded  the  centre,  to  turn  the  left  wing  of  the  Austrian 
army,  and  attack  their  posts  at  the  source  of  the  Kibe, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


117 


while  Desaix  was  charged  to  engage  the  imperial  forces  be- 
tween the  mountains  and  the  Rhine.  General  Taponier, 
with  a small  detachment,  crossed  the  mountains,  being  in- 
structed to  pass  the  river  Emms,  with  a view  to  turn  the 
right  wing  of  the  enemy,  by  marching  forward  to  Widbad. 
The  Austrians  gallantly  defended  their  position  at  Frauenalb 
and  Herrnalb,  repulsing  the  French  four  different  times  ; 
but  at  the  fifth  assault,  their  corps  of  reserve  was  complete- 
ly routed,  with  the  loss  of  1,100  taken  prisoners,  and  an 
almost  incalculable  number  of  killed  and  wounded. 

General  Desaix  commenced  his  operations  with  the  left 
wing,  by  an  attack  on  the  village  of  Malsch,  where  he 
fought  from  nine  in  the  morning  till  ten  at  night,  when  he 
took  possession  of  the  village,  and  made  500  prisoners. 
The  imperial  army  was  checked  bj  the  cavalry  and  light 
artillery  under  Suzanne  and  Delmas,  stationed  between 
Muchenturn  and  Ettlingen,  notwithstanding  the  repeated 
efforts  of  prince  Charles,  who  headed  them  in  person. 

The  astonishing  success  of  the  republicans  this  cLy  had 
a powerful  influence  upon  the  affairs  ol  the  coni' lined  pow- 
ers, as  it  destroyed  the  whole  plan  of  the  campaign.  The 
archduke  designed  to  have  engaged  Moreau  on  the  10:h  ; 
to  effect  which,  the  Saxons  had  received  orders  to  approach 
the  plain  by  the  way  of  Baden  (in  the  neighbourhood  of 
Fort  Louis)  and  the  vallej  of  Capel,  six  leagues  to  the 
rear  of  the  republican  army ; but  his  late  defeat  rendered 
the  execution  of  his  plan  impossible,  although  the  hope  of 
its  final  accomplishment  had  induced  him  to  make  a sacri- 
fice of  the  whole  territories  on  the  Lower  Rhine.  General 
St.  Cyr  proceeded  on  the  10th  to  Nuenburg,  and  the  Aus- 
trians abandoned  Ettlingen,  Durlach,  and  Carlsruhe,  in  the 
greatest  hurry  and  confusion,  and  retreated  to  a position 
behind  Pfortzbeim. 

The  right  wing  of  the  republican  army  proceeded  on  the 
12th  to  the  plains  of  the  Maine  ; and  the  left,  after  effecting 
the  passage  of  the  Nidda,  took  its  station  before  Frankfort. 

1 The  magistrates  received  a summons  to  surrender,  which 
| was  strenuously  opposed  by  the  Austrian  garrison.  The 
French  commenced  a bombardment,  when  several  parts  of 
the  city  being  suddenly  in  flames,  the  garrison  agreed  to 
surrender,  and  the  republicans,  on  the  ensuing  morning, 
entered  in  triumph.  Wartensfeben  has  been  censured  for 


118 


THE  LIFE  OF 


his  obstinacy  in  refusing  to  surrender,  because  it  was  ab- 
surd in  him  to  reckon  on  the  ditch  by  which  it  was  sur- 
rounded, since  the  small  extent  of  the  city  rendered  it  in- 
capable of  repelling  a formidable  enemy  for  any  length  of 
time.  General  Kleber  had  dispatched  three  engines,  and 
150  men,  unarmed,  to  extinguish  the  flames ; but  they 
were  not  granted  permission  to  enter  the  city,  which  shews 
the  ill  opinion  the  citizens  of  Frankfort  had  formed  of  the 
French. 

While  the  archduke  Charles  retreated  towards  Pfortzheim, 
he  was  eagerly  pursued  by  the  republicans  ; and,  upon  re- 
ceiving information  that  the  French  intended  to  cut  off  his 
communication  with  general  Frolich  and  the  prince  of 
Conde,  who  were  on  their  march  to  Stutgard,  the  archduke 
deemed  it  expedient  to  abandon  his  position  on  the  14th, 
and  retire  to  Vahingen.  Moreau  stationed  some  troops  at 
Bruchsal,  to  observe  the  motions  of  the  enemy  in  Philips- 
burg  and  Manheim,  and  to  facilitate  the  procuring  of  sup- 
plies. General  St.  Cyr,  after  an  obstinate  conflict,  suc- 
ceeded in  driving  the  Austrians  from  Stutgard.  His  next 
object  was  to  oblige  them  to  abandon  their  posts  in  the  rear 
of  that  town  : the  attack  commenced  at  four  in  the  after- 
noon, being  directed  with  uncommon  severity  against  gen- 
eral Baillet,  and  prince  John  of  Lichtenstein.  The  former 
of  these  officers  defended  himself  most  gallantly  till  the 
evening  ; when,  as  the  republicans  were  enabled  to  occupy 
the  ground  on  the  right  flank  of  the  prince  of  Lichtenstein, 
the  incessant  fire  of  their  musketry  crossed  in  their  ranks. 
Orders  were  accordingly  dispatched  to  general  Devay,  then 
upon  his  march,  to  come  forward  with  the  utmost  dispatch : 
he  arrived  at  the  moment  when  the  troops  under  the  com- 
mand of  the  prince  of  Lichtenstein  were  in  the  most  immi- 
nent datfger  of  being  totally  destroyed,  and  succeeded  in 
compelling  the  republicans  to  retire.  The  prince  gallantly 
effected  the  passage  of  the  Neckar  on  the  19th,  and  encamp- 
ed" his^roops  at  Felbach,  that  he  might  thereby  be  enabled 
to  keep  up  a communication  with  Ulm,  without  experi- 
encing any  important  opposition. 

The  troops  furnished  by  the  circle  of  Suabia,  abandoned 
their  position  at  Sultz,  upon  the  Neckar,  and,  taking  shelter 
behind  Hechingen,  the  combined  forces  of  Conde  and  Fro- 
lich were  obliged  to  fall  back.  General  Desaix  reached 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


ii9 


Ludwigsberg  on  the  21st,  and  obliged  the  Austrians  to 
evacuate  the  left  bank  of  the  Neckar,  which  the  French,  on 
the  ensuing  day,  endeavoured  to  cross,  but  without  effect. 
The  archduke  retreated  slowly  towards  Nordlingen,  and 
general  Frolich  proceeded  to  Biberach  on  the  9th  of  the 
preceding  month,  and  disarmed  the  corps  from  Suabia,  who 
had  previously  concluded  an  armistice  with  the  republican 
general. 

The  rapid  progress  and  numerous  victories  of  the  French, 
gave  great  uneasiness  and  terror  to  the  court  of  Vienna,  as 
every  day  was  more  calamitous  than  that  which  preceded  it, 
and  the  very  throne  of  Germany  seemed  tottering  to  its  ba- 
sis. The  speedy  destruction  of  his  armies  in  Italy,  and  the 
alarming  progress  of  Jourdan  and  Moreau,  had  made  a very 
strong  impression  on  the  mind  of  the  emperor,  whose  gov- 
ernment now  seemed  to  lie  at  the  mercy  of  France ; yet 
was  that  unfortunate  prince  doomed  to  witness  still  further 
disasters  in  the  degradation  of  the  princes  of  the  empire,  who 
now  were  under  the  necessity  of  making  peace  on  any 
terms. 

An  armistice  was  concluded  on  the  19th  of  July  between 
the  duke  of  YVirtemberg,  and  general  Moreau,  on  the  part 
of  the  French  republic  ; and  a treaty  of  peace  was  conclu- 
ded on  the  6th  of  August  between  the  duke  and  France, 
which  received  the  approbation  of  the  directory,  and  was 
ratified  by  the  legislative  body.  By  virtue  of  this  treaty 
the  republicans  got  possession  of  all  his  rights  and  revenues 
on  the  left  side  of  the  Rhine,  and  his  serene  highness  enga* 

| ged  to  banish  from  his  territories  all  emigrants  and  exiled 
: priests. 

An  armistice  was  also  concluded  between  France,  and 
the  circle  of  Suabia,  on  the  27th  of  July,  by  which  it  agreed 
to  furnish  the  republic  with  12,000,000  of  livres  in  two 
months  and  a half,  8,400  horses,  5,000  oxen,  100,000  quin- 
tals of  wheat,  50,000  quintals  of  rye,  100,000  sacks  of  oats, 
a large  quantity  of  hay,  and  100,000  pair  of  shoes.'  Ttie 
example  ot  Suabia  was  followed  by  the  marquis  of  Baden, 
who  ceded  to  the  republicans  his  possessions  on  the  left 
bank  of  the  Rhine,  and  paid  a liberal  contribution.  A trea- 
ty ot  peace  between  him  and  France,  was  finally  ratified  at 
Pari  s on  the  22d  of  August.  The  elector  of  Bavaria  sent 
1 ambassadors  to  treat  v/itiv  general  Moreau,  while  the  diet  of 


120 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Ratisbon  gave  a considerable  degree  of  alarm,  by  resolving 
to  lay  before  his  imperial  majesty  its  ardent  wishes  for  a 
general  pacification.  The  republic,  however,  did  not  grant 
an  armistice  to  either  of  these  states,  without  receiving  very 
valuable  considerations  for  the  most  trifling  concessions. 
Money  to  reward  the  French  soldiers  for  their  successes, 
or  to  console  them  for  their  disasters,  and  provisions  and 
clothing,  were  always  stipulated  for;  and  no  neutrality,  no 
truce,  no  peace,  could  be  obtained  by  the  weaker  powers, 
without  heavy  contributions  of  this  nature. 

The  long  and  arduous  defence  maintained  by  the  garrison 
of  Kehl  had  diverted  the  attention  of  the  archduke  Charles 
from  the  affairs  of  Italy,  whence  he  had  intended  to  follow 
W urmser,  with  the  design  of  stopping  the  career  of  the  vic- 
torious Buonaparte,  and  the  French  government  took  advan- 
tage of  the  interval  to  increase  the  strength  of  their  brave 
army.  It  was  at  this  period  that  the  want  and  wretched- 
ness, of  which  the  troops  had  had  so  much  reason  to  com- 
plain, during  the  whole  course  of  the  war,  seemed  wholly  to 
disappear,  and  it  was  from  this  time,  that,  ciuitting  the  sim- 
plicity and  virtue  of  a republican  leader,  the  seeds  of  ambi- 
tion were  sown  in  the  breast  of  the  great  general. 

The  champion  of  the  republic  beheld  himself  at  the  head 
of  a band  of  varnished  slaves,  and,  under  a conviction  that 
they  would  harness  themselves  to  the  chariot  of  the  first 
fortunate  knave,  that  might  possess  art  enough  to  make 
himself  essential  to  their  welfare, 

“ He  dreamt  of  kingdoms,  crowns,  and  regal  state. 

Till  busy  Fancy  whisper’d — ‘ These  are  thine.’  ” 

The  stern  language  and  proclamations  of  the  republicans, 
were  now  softened  by  the  arts  and  manners  of  the  candi- 
date for  a crown,  and  henceforth  the  views  and  conduct  of 
Buonaparte  were  directed  entirely  by  his  own  interest. 
How  auspicious  the  moment  to  cherish  the  nascent  ambition 
of  an  ardent  and  aspiring  mind  ! Placed  at  the  head  of  ar- 
mies, whose  enthusiastic  devotion  would  have  induced 
them  to  follow  him  in  the  most  desperate  and  romantic  ex- 
peditions, whilst  he  was  hailed  by  all  the  world  as  the  victor 
over  the  greatest  generals  of  the  universe,  who  were  at  once 
obliged  to  acknowledge  their  admiration  of  his  talents,  and 
their  submission  to  his  arms,  he  must  have  been  either 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


121 


more  or  less  than  human  who  could  have  refused  to  appro- 
priate to  himself  all  the  advantages  that  the  state  of  things 
offered  to  him,  for  the  mere  sake  of  having  his  forbearance 
and  virtue  recorded  by  the  very  small  number,  who  would 
have  had  sense  enough  to  discern  it. 

The  retreat  of  the  armies  from  Germany,  left  Buonaparte 
without  hope  of  any  diversion  in  his  favour  in  the  Tyrol, 
which  he  had  expected  from  Moreau  ; but  if  he  had  noth- 
ing to  hope  from  co-operation  he  had  nothing  to  fear  from 
a rival,  and  having  completed  his  arrangements  for  the  suc- 
cessful conclusion  of  the  campaign  in  Italy,  he  prepared  to 
frustrate  the  attempts  that  the  Austrians  were  making  for 
the  preservation  of  Mantua  ; and  field  marshal  W urmser, 
notwithstanding  his  continual  misfortunes  persevered  with 
a constancy  and  courage,  which  procured  him  greater  glory 
than  has  been  gained  by  all  the  German  generals,  who  pre- 
ceded him  in  Italy. 

Buonaparte,  by  his  masterly  arrangements,  secured  the 
influence  of  France  in  those  states  which  he  had  conquered 
at  the  head  of  her  armies.  The  victories  of  the  general 
were  immediately  taken  advantage  of  by  the  policy  of  the 
! statesman,  and  successfully  adapted  to  purposes,  that  nq 
war  minister,  unless  he  were  at  the  seat  of  war,  could  have 
' either  planned  or  executed. 

Buonaparte,  being  informed  that  an  Austrian  corps  was 
advancing,  and  had  already  encamped  on  the  Piava,  imme- 
diately detached  general  Massena,  with  a corps  of  observa- 
tion, to  Bassano,  on  the  Brenta,  with  orders  to  retreat  to 
j Vicenza  the  instant  the  enemv  should  have  passed  the  Pia- 
i va.  He  also  ordered  general  Vaubois  to  attack  the  Austri- 
an posts  in  the  Trentin,  and  above  all,  to  drive  them  from 
j their  positions,  between  the  Lavisio  and  the  Brenta.  The 
attack  took  place  on  the  2d  of  November,  when  the  French 
encountered  a very  spirited  resistance ; general  Guieux  car- 
ried St.  Michael,  and  burnt  the  enemy’s  bridge ; but  the 
Austrians  rendered  abortive  the  attack  of  the  French  on  Se- 
gonzano,  and  the  85th  demi-brigade  suffered  greatly.  On 
the  3d  Buonaparte  ordered  Segonzano  to  be  attacked,  as 
the  possession  of  it  was  necessary  ; and,  at  the  same  mo- 
ment, being  informed  that  the  imperialists  had  passed  the 
Piava,  he  pressed  forward  in  person  with  Augereau’s  divis- 
ion ; and,  having  effected  a junction  with  the  division  of 

16 


122 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Massena  at  Vicenza,  marched  on  the  5th,  to  meet  the  Aus- 
trians, who  had  passed  the  Brenta  : it  was  necessary  for  the 
French  to  strike  like  a thunderbolt,  and  sweep  the  imperi- 
alists before  them.  The  action  was  obstinate  and  bloody, 
but  the  advantage  inclined  to  the  side  of  the  French,  who 
remained  in  possession  of  the  field  of  battle,  while  the  Aus- 
trians repassed  the  Brenta  : the  republican  army  took  one 
piece  of  cannon,  500  prisoners,  and  killed  a great  many  ; 
the  French  general,  Lanus,  was  wounded. 

During  these  transactions  the  Austrians  had  attacked 
general  Vaubois,  and  threatened  to  turn  him  in  several 
points  ; this  obliged  him  to  retreat  to  La  Pietra,  his  right 
being  supported  by  the  mountains,  and  his  left  by  Mori. 
On  the  7th,  a most  obstinate  action  ensued,  in  which  the 
French  took  two  pieces  of  cannon,  and  1,300  prisoners,  but, 
on  the  approach  of  night,  a panic  seized  part  of  the  troops. 
On  the  8th,  this  division  occupied  a position  at  Rivoli  and 
La  Corona,  by  means  of  a bridge  which  Buonaparte  had 
ordered  to  be  thrown  over  the  river. 

The  general  in  chief  departed  on  the  7th,  and  arrived, 
with  some  troops,  at  Verona  on  the  day  following  at  noon. 
On  the  11th,  he  learned  that  the  Austrians,  after  leaving 
Montebello,  had  encamped  at  Villa  Nova ; the  troops  ac- 
cordingly advanced  from  Verona,  and  fell  in  with  their  van- 
guard at  St.  Martin,  who  were  routed  and  pursued  by  gen- 
eral Augereau,  for  three  miles  and  a half.  On  the  12th,  at 
day- break,  the  French  found  themselves  in  presence  of  the 
enemy  : it  was  necessary  to  engage  them  instantly  ; the  at- 
tack was  accordingly  made  with  skill  and  gallantry,  Masse- 
na’s  division  assailing  their  left,  and  Augereau’s  their  right; 
the  success  of  both  was  complete ; Augereau  made  him- 
self master  of  the  village  of  Caldero,  and  took  200  prison- 
ers ; Massena  seized  on  a height  that  flanked  the  imperial- 
ists, and  took  five  pieces  of  cannon  ; but  the  rain  which  fell 
in  torrents,  having  changed  suddenly  into  a kind  of  cold 
hail,  driven  by  the  wind  into  the  faces  of  the  French  troops, 
was  favourable  to  the  enemy.  The  Austrians,  being  rein- 
forced by  a corps  cle  reserve , which  had  no  share  in  the  ac- 
tion, succeeded  in  retaking  the  height ; and  at  night  both 
armies  retained  their  respective  positions  : these  inferior 
engagements,  and  the  necessity  the  division  of  Vaubois 
felt  of  abandoning  successively  all  their  posts  in  the  Tyrol, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


123 


announced  a more  important  and  decisive  struggle,  which 
could  not  be  long  procrastinated,  and  a moment  of  indul- 
gence might  have  lost  the  general  all  the  advantages  of  his 
conquests. 

Buonaparte  having  learned  that  the  imperial  army,  under 
field  marshal  Alv'inzi,  approached  Verona,  for  the  purpose 
of  forming  a junction  with  the  column  of  his  army  in 
the  Tyrol,  defiled  along  the  Adige,  with  the  divisions  of 
Augereau  and  Massena,  and,  in  the  night  of  the  14th,  threw 
a bridge  of  boats  across  at  Ronco,  where  the  French  troops 
passed  the  river.  The  general  was  in  hopes  of  arriving  in 
the  morning  at  Villa-Nova,  and  by  that  means  taking  the 
enemy’s  park  of  artillery  and  magazines,  and  attacking  them 
in  flank  and  rear  : he  had  directed  general  Vaubois  to  watch 
with  his  division  the  point  of  Rivoli,  and  keep  in  check  the 
column  of  the  Austrian  right  under  general  Davidovich  ; the 
castle  and  fort  of  Brescia,  and  the  posts  of  Verona,  Peschi- 
era,  and  Porto-Legnago,  were  in  a respectable  state  of  de- 
fence. The  head-quarters  of  general  Alvinzi  were  at  Cal- 
dero  ; but,  having  got  intelligence  of  the  movements  of 
the  French,  he  had  sent  a regiment  of  Croats,  and  some 
Hungarian  regiments,  into  the  village  of  Areola,  a post  ex- 
tremely strong  by  its  position,  in  the  midst  of  marshes  and 
canals. 

Before  day-break,  the  divisions  of  Massena  and  Auge- 
reau, had  completed  the  passage  of  the  Adige,  and  advan- 
ced on  the  two  causeways  that  traverse  an  impracticable 
morass  for  several  miles.  The  column  of  the  left,  com- 
manded by  Massena,  first  encountered  and  drove  in  the 
Austrian  advanced  posts,  while  the  column  under  Auge- 
reau, after  having,  in  like  manner,  compelled  their  posts  to 
fall  back,  was  stopped  at  the  village  of  Areola,  now  occupi- 
ed bv  the  imperial  troops,  who  defended  the  sides  of  a dyke, 
along  which  it  was  necessary  to  pass.  A canal,  that  flank- 
ed this  dyke  on  the  side  of  the  village,  hindered  the  French 
from  turning  it,  and  to  get  possession  of  it,  they  had  to  pass 
under  the  enemy’s  fire,  and  cross  by  a small  bridge,  upon 
which  the  imperialists  kept  up  a terrible  discharge  from 
several  of  the  adjacent  houses,  which  they  had  fortified. 
The  French  troops  made  several  efforts  to  carry  the  bridge  ; 
but  they  were  repulsed  in  reiterated  attacks  : it  was  in  vain 
that  their  generals,  feeling  the  importance  of  the  moment, 


124 


THE  LIFE  OF 


precipitated  themselves  at  the  head  of  the  columns,  to  in- 
duce them  to  pass  the  little  bridge  of  Areola;  this  excess 
of  courage  proved  only  injurious  to  themselves  ; for  they 
were  almost  all  wounded,  and  the  generals  Verdier,  Bon, 
Verne,  and  Lasnes,  carried  out  of  the  field.  Augereau, 
laying  hold  of  a standard,  advanced  to  the  extremity 
ol  the  bridge,  where  he  remained  for  several  minutes, 
without  producing  any  effect ; it  was,  however,  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  pass  this  bridge,  or  take  a circuitous 
route  of  several  leagues,  which  would  have  made  the  whole 
operations  miscarry.  Buonaparte,  apprised  of  the  difficul- 
ties experienced  by  Augereau,  ordered  general  Guieux  to 
descend  the  Adige,  with  a corps  of  2,000  men,  and  cross 
the  river,  under  the  protection  of  the  light  artillery,  at  a fer- 
ry two  miles  below  Ronco,  and  opposite  Albaredo  : he  was 
then  to  bear  down  on  the  village  of  Areola  and  turn  it ; 
but  this  march  was  long  and  the  day  far  advanced  ; it  was, 
however,  indispensable  to  carry  Areola,  in  order  to  get  on 
the  enemy’s  rear  ; Buonaparte,  therefore,  hastened  to  the 
spot ; he  asked  the  soldiers  if  they  still  were  the  conquer- 
ors of  Lodi ; his  presence  produced  an  emotion  of  enthusi- 
asm among  the  troops,  which  confirmed  him  in  his  deter- 
mination to  risk  the  passage  : he  leaped  off  his  horse,  and, 
seizing  a standard,  rushed  forward  at  the  head  of  the  grena- 
diers towards  the  bridge,  crying,  Follow  your  general! 
The  column  moved  forward  a moment,  and  had  reached 
within  thirty  paces  of  the  bridge,  when  the  terrible  fire  of 
the  Austrians,  made  it  recoil,  at  the  verv  instant  the  enemy 
were  on  the  point  of  flying.  Generals  Vignole  and  Lasnes 
were  wounded,  and  Muiron,  the  general’s  aid-de-camp,  was 
killed.  Buonaparte  himself  was  thrown  from  his  horse  into 
a marsh,  from  whence  he  extricated  himself  with  difficultv 
under  the  enemy’s  fire  ; he  mounted  again,  and  the  column 
rallied  ; but  the  imperialists  did  not  advance  from  their  en- 
trenchments, to  take  advantage  of  the  fortunate  moment,  as 
they  ought  to  have  done. 

The  French  were  obliged  to  renounce  the  design  of  for- 
cing the  village  in  front,  and  to  w'ait  the  arrival  of  general 
Guieux,  who,  although  he  did  not  reach  Areola  till  night, 
succeeded  in  carrying  the  village,  taking  four  pieces  of  can- 
non, and  a great  number  of  prisoners.  The  Austrian  gene- 
ral persevered  in  his  object,  and  Buonaparte  thought  it  ex- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


125 


-pedient  to  evacuate  the  village,  on  learning  that  the  imperi- 
alists had  removed  all  their  baggage  and  magazines  to  Vi- 
cenza, in  order  to  advance  towards  Ronco.  At  day-break, 
on  the  16th,  the  Austrians  attacked  the  French  in  every 
direction  : the  column  of  general  Massena  on  the  left,  de- 
feated the  enemy  after  an  obstinate  contest,  and  pursued 
them  to  the  gates  of  Caldero,  taking  1,500  prisoners,  with 
six  pieces  of  cannon,  and  four  standards  Augereau’s 
column,  in  like  manner,  repulsed  the  Austrians,  but  could 
not  recover  the  village  of  Areola,  notwitstanding  repeated 
attempts.  A judgment  may  be  formed  of  the  firmness  dis- 
played on  both  sides,  from  the  diff  rent  attacks  that  hap- 
pened at  this  village,  where  several' generals  were  wounded. 
The  same  evening,  Buonaparte,  at  the  head  of  a column, 
carrying  fascines,  advanced  to  the  canal  on  the  right  of  the 
Adige,  with  a design  to  effect  a passage,  but  found  it  im- 
practicable from  the  rapidity  of  the  current.  With  this 
column  adjutant-general  Vial  afterwards  traversed  the  canal 
with  the  water  up  to  his  neck,  but  was  obliged  to  return 
without  effecting  a diversion  of  any  consequence  : in  this 
expedition  it  was,  that  Elliot  was  killed. 

In  the  night  the  French  general  ordered  bridges  to  be 
thrown  over  the  canals  and  marshes,  and  a new  attack  was 
planned  for  the  day  following : general  Massena  was  to  ad- 
vance by  the  causeway  on  the  left,  while  Augereau,  for  the 
third  time,  attacked  the  village  ; and  a third  column  was  to 
cross  the  canal,  in  order  to  turn  the  village.  Part  of  the 
garrison  of  Porto-Legnago,  with  50  dragoons,  and  four 
pieces  of  artillery,  received  orders  to  make  a diversion,  by 
turning  the  enemy’s  left.  Early  in  the  morning  the  en- 
gagement commenced  ; the  imperialists,  having  vigorously 
attacked  the  centre,  obliged  it  to  fall  back,  on  which  Buo- 
naparte drew  the  32d  from  the  left,  and  placed  it  in  ambush 
. in  the  woods  : the  moment  the  Austrians,  in  impelling  back 
; the  centre,  were  on  the  point  of  turning  the  right  of  the 
j French,  general  Gardanne,  at  the  head  of  the  3^d,  sallied 
: from  his  ambuscade,  and,  taking  them  in  hank,  made  a 
dreadful  carnage.  The  Austrians’  left  was  supported  by 
I the  marshes,  and  kept  in  check  the  French  right  by  their 
['  superior  numbers.  Buonaparte  ordered  Hercules,  the  offi- 
[ cer  of  his  guides,  to  select  25  men  of  his  company,  and,  ad- 
it vancing  half  a league  along  the  Adige,  turn  all  the  marshes, 


126 


THE  LIFE  OF 


which  supported  the  Austrian  left,  and  fall  afterwards  at 
full  gallop  on  the  enemy’s  backs,  at  the  same  time  making 
several  trumpets  sound-  This  manoeuvre  was  completely 
successful : the  Austrian  infantry  gave  way,  but,  although 
retreating,  still  made  resistance  ; when  a small  column  of 
eight  or  nine  hundred  men,  with  four  pieces  of  cannon, 
whom  the  general  in  chief  had  directed  to  defile  through 
Porto- Legnago,  in  the  rear  of  the  imperialists,  succeeded 
in  putting  them  to  the  route.  General  Massena,  who  had 
returned  to  the  centre,  marched  straight  to  the  village  of 
Areola,  which  he  took,  and  pursued  the  enemy  nearly  as 
far  as  the  village  of  St.  Bonifacio. 

In  this  battle  the  French  took  between  four  and  5,000 
prisoners,  four  stand  of  colours,  J 8 pieces  of  cannon,  a 
great  many  waggons,  several  of  which  were  loaded  with 
pontoons,  and  an  immense  number  of  ladders,  collected  by 
the  Austrian  army,  with  a design  to  scale  Verona  : the  im- 
perialists lost  at  least  4,000  killed,  and  had  as  many  wound- 
ed. On  the  part  of  the  French,  besides  the  generals  alrea- 
dy mentioned,  generals  Robert  and  Gardanne  were  wound- 
ed : adjutant-general  Vaudelin  and  Buonaparte’s  aids-de- 
camp,  Elliot  and  Muiron,  were  killed. 

Meanwhile  the  left  wing,  under  general  Vaubois  was  at- 
tacked, and  his  important  position  at  Rivoli  forced  ; this  un- 
covered the  blockade  of  Mantua.  The  French  army  left 
Areola  at  day-break  : the  cavalry  were  sent  to  Vicenza  in 
pursuit  of  the  imperialists,  and  Buonaparte  repaired  to  Ve- 
rona, where  he  had  left  general  Kilmaine  with  3,000  men  ; 
the  division  of  Vaubois  was  reinforced,  and  posted  at  Cas- 
teinovo,  while  Augereau  occupied  Verona,  and  Massena 
the  vicinity  of  Villa-Nova ; preparations  were  made  for 
chasing  the  enemy  into  the  Tyrol,  after  which  the  army 
could  wait  in  tranquillity  for  the  reduction  of  Mantua. 

From  his  head-quarters  at  Verona,  Buonaparte  wrote  a 
letter  to  the  director  Carnot,  in  which  he  expressed  his  hope 
of  being  able,  in  ten  days,  to  address  him  from  the  head- 
quarters at  Mantua.  “ Never,”  said  he,  “ was  a field  of 
battle  so  valorously  disputed  as  that  of  Areola  ; scarcely 
have  I any  generals  left ; their  courage  and  devotion  to 
their  country  were  without  example.”  The  general  of  i 
brigade,  Lasnes,  appeared  in  the  field  of  battle,  although  I 
the  wound  he  had  received  at  Governolo  was  not  yet  cured ; j 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


127 


he  was  twice  wounded  on  the  first  day  of  the  engagement, 
and  laid  on  a bed,  in  great  agony,  when,  hearing  that  Buo- 
naparte, in  person,  was  at  the  head  of  the  column,  he  threw 
himself  out  of  bed,  mounted  his  horse,  and  hastened  to  find 
the  general.  As  he  could  not  walk,  he  was  obliged  to  re- 
main on  horseback  ; but,  at  the  head  of  the  bridge  of  Ar- 
eola, he  received  a blow,  that  extended  him  senseless.  “ I 
assure  you,”  concludes  the  general,  “ that  it  required  every 
effort  to  vanquish  : the  enemy,  headed  by  their  generals, 
were  numerous  and  obstinate ; and  several  of  the  latter 
were  killed.” 

Never  was  an  army  placed  in  a more  critical  situation, 
than  that  of  Buonaparte’s  upon  this  occasion  : the  imperi- 
alists had  made  the  greatest  efforts,  and  had  brought  from 
the  interior  of  the  Austrian  states,  all  that  remained  of  their 
disposable  forces  ; these  troops  had  posted  to  their  place  of 
destination  with  the  utmost  celerity,  and  by  these  means 
they  had  been  enabled  to  form  in  Italy  a new  army,  more 
considerable  than  the  two  already  exterminated,  before  the 
succors  sent  from  the  interior  of  France  to  general  Buona- 
parte, could  form  a junction  with  his  army  : it  required 
nothing  less  than  the  genius  of  that  intrepid  warrior,  and  the 
zeal  and  constancy  of  all  his  brethren  in  arms,  to  triumph 
over  the  many  obstacles  which  the  cool  courage  and  brave 
ry  of  the  Austrian  armies  opposed  to  his  successes. 

However  considerable  the  loss  sustained  by  Alvinzi 
may  have  been,  his  army  was  far  from  being  destroyed  : — 
driven  back  into  the  mountains,  it  became  difficult  to  at- 
tack him,  and  Buonaparte  could  not  forget,  that  Mantua, 
which  Wurmser  occupied  with  a strong  garrison,  still  held 
out  in  his  rear.  The  important  point  was  to  keep  Alvinzi 
in  check,  and  exclude  him  from  the  valley  of  the  Adige, 
and  all  the,  passes  by  which  he  could  communicate  with 
Mantua.  General  Vaubois  advanced  to  Rivoli,  but  the  im- 
perialists repulsed  and  drove  him  beyond  Castel-Nova. — 
Buonaparte  directed  general  Massena’s  division  t6  repass 
the  Adige,  and  effect  a junction  at  Villa-Franca  with  that  of 
general  Vaubois;  then,  with  united  forces,  to  march  to 
Castel-Nova  on  the  21st,  whilst  the  division  of  general  Au- 
gereau  proceeded  to  the  heights  of  St.  Anne,  in  order  to 
cut  off  the  enemy’s  retreat,  by  securing  the  valley  of  the 
x^dige  at  Dolce.  General  Joubert,  commanding  the  ad- 


128 


THE  LIFE  OF 


vanced  guard  of  the  united  divisions  of  Massena  and  Vam 
bois,  came  up  with  the  imperialists  on  the  heights  of  Cam- 
para,  and  after  a slight  contest,  succeeded  in  surrounding 
a corps  of  the  enemy’s  rear  guard,  and  taking  1,200  prison- 
ers, among  whom  was  the  colonel  of  the  regiment  of  Ber- 
bach  : a corps  of  three  or  four  hundred  Austrians  were 
drowned  in  the  Adige  in  attempting  to  escape.  The 
French,  not  contented  with  having  retaken  the  position  of 
Rivoli  and  La  Corona,  pursued  the  enemy  to  Preabocco  ; 
while  Augereau  engaged  and  dispersed  an  Austrian  corps, 
took  200  prisoners,  burnt  two  boats  of  pontoons,  upon  the 
Queta,  and  carried  off  a considerable  quantity  of  baggage. 

Having  noticed  the  letter  which  the  general  wrote  to  gen- 
eral Clarke,  on  the  death  of  his  nephew,  Elliot,  it  is  proper 
to  observe  here,  that  he  also  wrote  to  console  the  widow 
Muiron,  that  her  husband  had  fallen  at  his  side  on  the  field 
of  Areola.  “ You  have,”  said  he,  “ lost  a spouse,  who 
was  dear  to  you  ; 1 have  lost  a friend,  to  whom  1 have  been 
long  attached ; but  pur  country  has  suffered  more  than  us 
both,  by  losing  an  officer  so  distinguished  for  his  talents, 
and  his  dauntless  courage.  If  I can  aid  you,  or  your  in- 
fant, in  any  thing,  I beseech  you  to  reckon  on  my  utmost 
exertions.”  In  a letter  to  the  directory,  the  general  men- 
tions, that  the  citizen  Muiron  had  served  since  the  first 
moments  of  the  revolution  in  the  corps  of  artillery,  and  had 
particularly  distinguished  lnmself  at  the  siege  of  Toulon, 
w-here  he  was  wounded,  while  entering  the  celebrated  Eng- 
lish redoubt,  by  an  embrasure.  His  father  was  then  in  ar- 
rest as  a farmer- general  : the  young  Muiron,  covered  with 
the  blood  he  had  shed  for  his  country,  presented  himself 
before  the  national  convention,  and  the  revolutionary  com- 
mittee of  his  section,  and  obtained  the  liberation  of  his  father. 
On  the  4th  of  October  he  commanded  a division  of  artillery, 
that  defended  the  convention  : he  was  deaf  to  the  seduc- 
tions of  his  acquaintances  and  friends.  “ I asked  him,”  con- 
tinues Buonaparte,  “ if  the  government  might  reckon  on 
him  — “ Yes,”  replied  he,  “ I have  taken  an  oath  to  sup- 
port the  republic  : I am  part  of  the  armed  force,  and  will 
obey  my  commanders  ; I am  moreover,  from  what  I have 
seen,  hostile  to  all  revolutionists,  and  equally  so  to  those 
who  adopt  their  maxims  and  conduct  with  an  intent  to  re- 
establish a throne,  or  who  wish  to  restore  the  cruel  ad- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


129 


Sninistration,  under  which  my  father  and  my  relations  have 
suffered  so  long : he  comported  himself  as  a brave  man,  and 
was  extremely  useful  on  that  day  which  saved  liberts . — 
Since  the  commencement  of  the  campaign  in  Italy,  Muiron 
has  rendered  essential  service  in  almost  every  action  ; and, 
at  last,  fell  gloriously  in  the  field  of  Areola,  leaving  a young 
widow  in  a state  of  pregnancy.” 


CHAPTER  IX. 

The  campaign  of  1796  produced  two  very  important 
consequences,  that  promised  to  affect  the  general  interests 
and  peace  of  Europe  : the  first  was,  that  the  directory  and 
people  of  France  seemed  to  conclude,  that  their  arms  were 
not  likely  to  succeed  beyond  the  boundary  of  the  Rhine  ; 
the  second  was,  that  the  ailitd  powers  seemed  insensibly  to 
abandon  all  idea  of  reconquering  the  states  on  the  French 
■side  of  the  Rhine,  which  France  had  subdued  and  annexed 
to  her  own  territory.  The  people  of  all  the  belligerent 
nations,  panted  most  ardently  for  peace  ; and  the  tran  ma- 
rine exploits  of  the  campaign,  were  not  such  as  were  likely 
to  throw  any  obstacle  in  the  way  of  that  desirable  object. 
England  was  successful,  in  getting  possession  of  several 
places  belonging  to  her  enem}  in  the  East  and  West  Indies, 
and  in  most  of  her  naval  actions ; but,  except  the  island  of 
Ceylon,  all  those  achievements  were  of  trifling  value,  and 
that  value  was  considerably  reduced,  by  the  consideration 
of  Spain  now  joining  France  in  the  war,  which  added  the 
naval  power  of  that  country  to  the  fleets  of  France  and 
Holland.  But  it  was  not  merely  against  the  gigantic  pow- 
er of  the  French  armaments  that  the  allies  were  called  to 
[ direct  their  exertions,  there  w as  a sort  of  political- moral 
[ power  in  every  state  that  embarrassed  its  own  government, 
land  fought  the  battles  of  the  republicans  as  successfully  as 
i their  own  armies.  In  England  this  inferior  combat  was 
■sustained  by  the  jacobins,  .republicans,  and  vvhigs;  who, 

1 though  they  despised  and  hated  each  other,  all  united  to 
oppose  the  government,  and  their  opposition  was  so  violent 
during  this  campaign  that  the  administration  seemed  driv- 
en to  the  necessity  of  making  peace,  if  it  w ere  likely  that 

17 


1.30 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  French  government  would  accede  to  any  thing  like  rea- 
sonable terms. 

On  the  9di  of  January,  1797,  the  commander  in  chief  ar- 
rived at  Bologna  with  2,000  men,  in  order  to  make  an  im- 
pression on  the  court  of  Rome,  by  the  proximity  of  his  sit- 
uation, and  induce  it  to  adopt  a pacific  system  : he  also 
opened  a negociation  with  the  grand  duke  of  Tuscany, 
relative  to  the  garrison  of  Leghorn ; and  he  thought  his 
pr  esence  at  Bologna  would  infallibly  bring  this  affair  to  a 
conclusion.  The  10th  was  spent  in  reviewing  the  troops, 
and  making  the  necessary  preparations  : at  night,  the  gene- 
ral learned  that  the  enemy  were  in  motion  on  all  their  line, 
and  that  the  Austrian  division,  which  was  at  Padua,  had,  on 
the  8th,  attacked  the  advanced  guard  of  general  Augereau,  • 
at  Btvilaque,  in  front  of  Porto-Legnago.  Adjutant-gene- 
ral Dufaux,  who  commanded  that  advanced  guard,  after 
fighting  the  whole  day,  retired  to  Sanzeno,  and  on  the  mor- 
row to  Porto-Legnago  ; but  his  spirited  resistance  gave  him 
time  to  advertise  the  whole  French  line  of  the  enemy’s 
march. 

Buonaparte  ordered  the  moveable  column,  which  he  had 
assembled,  to  set  out,  by  a forced  march,  to  reinforce  gen- 
eral Augereau’s  division,  and  oppose  all  the  enemy’s  enter- 
prises on  the  Lower  Adige.  He  himself  set  out  for  the 
blockade  of  Mantua,  and  after  giving  all  the  necessary  or- 
ders, proceeded  from  thence  to  Verona,  where  he  arrived 
on  the  morning  of  the  12th,  at  the  moment  the  imperialists 
attacked  in  force,  the  advanced  guard  of  Massena’s  division, 
posted  at  St.  Michael.  The  contest  was  obstinate,  but  at 
the  end  of  two  hours,  the  Austrians  were  completely  repul- 
sed, with  the  loss  of  three  cannon,  and  600  prisoners.  On 
the  same  day,  and  at  the  same  hour,  the  imperialists  attack- 
ed the  head  of  the  French  line,  b\  Montebaldo,  where  they 
nvade  themselves  masters  of  a redoubt ; but  Joubert,  push- 
ing forward  at  the  head  of  his  carabineers,  retook  the  re- 
doubt, drove  the  enemy  before  him,  and  having  thrown 
them  into  disorder,  made  300  prisoners.  On  the  night  of 
the  i2th  an  Austrian  column  fought  the  whole  night  with 
the  French  grand  guards,  but  were  repulsed.  All  the  re- 
ports, brought  in  on  the  morning  of  the  lath,  announced  a 
general  movement  of  the  enemy,  of  which  the  attack  on  the 
preceding  day  formed  a part.  The  Austrians,  who,  to  do 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


131 


them  justice  had  completely  succeeded  in  concealing  their 
movements,  kept  the  French  in  an  uncertainty,  whether  the 
main  body  of  their  forces  was  at  Rivoli,  or  on  the  Lower 
Adige  : Buonaparte  therefore  thought  proper  to  continue  at 
Verona,  ready  to  march  wherever  circumstances  might  ren- 
der his  presence  necessary. 

On  the  13th  the  Austrians  threw  a bridge  across  the  riv- 
er at  Anguiari,  a league  distant  from  Porto-Legnago,  by 
which  bridge  their  advanced  guard  passed  ; and,  in  the 
evening  of  the  same  day,  Buonaparte  learned  that  the  post 
of  La  Corona  had  been  attacked  by  forces  so  superior  in 
number,  that  general  Joubert  was  forced  to  evacuate  it,  in 
order  to  assume  a position  in  front  of  Rivoli ; and  that  he 
had  executed  this  movement  in  face  of  the  enemy,  with  a 
steadiness  which  evinced  the  desire  the  troops  felt  to  engage 
the  imperialists  in  a place  more  favourable  to  the  inferiority 
of  their  number.  The  general  received  intelligence,  that 
the  enemy  had  commenced  a lively  cannonade  on  the  Adige, 
between  Ronco  and  Porto-  Legnago.  The  forces,  ranged  in 
front  of  general  Joubert,  no  longer  left  any  uncertainty  as  to 
the  intentions  of  the  Austrians : it  was  plain,  that  Alvinzi 
wished  to  penetrate  by  Rivoli  with  his  principal  forces, 
which  exceeded  more  than  double  the  number  of  those  un- 
der the  command  of  Joubert,  and  in  this  direction  to  reach 
Mantua.  Buonaparte  instantly  formed  his  resolution  ; and 
having  given  instructions  on  the  Lower  Adige  and  at  Ve- 
rona, put  in  motion  a part  of  the  division  of  general 
Massena ; he  ordered  the  troops,  under  the  command  of 
general  Rey,  at  Desanzano,  to  advance  in  different  columns, 
to  Rivoli ; and  at  eight  o’clock  in  the  evening,  set  out  in 
person  with  all  his  etat-major  lor  that  place,  which  he  reach- 
ed at  midnight.  The  dispositions  of  general  Joubert  were 
no  longer  necessary  after  the  arrival  of  these  reinforcements, 
and  of  general  Buonaparte  in  person,  who  having  assumed 
the  command,  directed  Joubert  to  resume  the  important 
position  in  front  of  the  plateau  of  Rivoli,  and  particularly 
the  post  of  San  Marco,  that  had  been  evacuated.  This 
post  was  the  key  of  the  position  of  the  plateau , the  only 
point  by  which  the  enemy  could  advance  their  cavalry  and 
artillery  between  the  Adige  and  the  lake  of  Garda. 

The  commander  in  chief,  accompanied  by  the  generals 
commanding  the  divisions  and  his  etat-major,  spent  the 


132 


THE  LIFE  OF 


night  in  reconnoitring  the  ground,  and  the  position  of  the 
imperialists,  who  occupied  a formidable  line,  nearly  20,000 
strong,  having  their  right  at  Caprino,  and  their  left  behind 
San  Marco.  Alvinzi  had,  several  days  before,  formed  his 
plan  of  attack  for  the  13th,  when  he  hoped  to  surround 
general  Joubert’s  division.  This  plan  he  now  endeavoured 
to  execute,  without  entertaining  a suspicion  of  the  arrival 
of  the  French  general  in  person,  or  of  the  reinforcements 
Joubert  had  received  at  the  moment  the  engagement  began. 
The  order  given  to  retake  the  small  posts  in  front  of  the 
plateau  of  Rivoli,  occasioned,  during  the  whole  night,  a 
fire  of  musketry  between  the  advanced  posts  : but  the  re- 
capture of  the  position  of  San  Marco  by  the  French,  at 
five  in  the  morning,  produced  a general  battle,  an  event 
which  began  to  give  great  uneasiness  to  Alvinzi,  as  it  ne- 
cessarily retarded,  for  some  hours,  his  plan  of  attack. 

General  Joubert,  at  the  head  of  a part  of  his  column,  at- 
tacked the  imperialists  along  the  line  of  the  heights  of  San- 
Marco.  The  rest  of  his  division  occupied  the  centre  of  the 
line,  the  left  of  which  was  to  be  successively  reinforced 
from  the  divisions  of  Massena  and  general  Rey.  The  18th 
demi-brigade  received  orders  to  advance  by  the  left  of  the 
line  of  attack,  and  follow  the  directions  of  general  Buonaparte, 
which  were  not  to  spread  the  troops,  but  only  to  extend 
their  flanks.  General  Joubert  having  made  considerable 
progress  along  the  heights  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Adige 
towards  La  Corona,  the  rest  of  the  line  likewise  advanced, 
and  obtained  some  successes : the  centre  occupied  the 
heights  that  command  the  village  of  St.  Martin.  The  14th 
demi-brigade,  under  Berthier,  in  the  centre,  had  directions 
to  act  according  to  circumstances.  This  reserve  advanced, 
having  previously  detached  a battalion  to  attack  St.  Martin 
the  moment  the  left  of  the  French  line  was  losing  ground  ; 
this  movement  was  the  more  dangerous,  as  the  troops  that 
followed  the  Austrians  on  the  heights  to  the  left  had  lost 
some  advantages.  Buonaparte  proceeded,  in  person,  to  the 
left,  but  in  the  mean  time,  the  29th  and  85th  demi-brigades 
had  fallen  back  : the  battalion  of  the  14th,  which  had  driven 
the  imperialists  from  St.  Martin,  was  repulsed,  but  kept 
the  enemy  in  check  by  its  spirited  fire  from  the  hedges  sur- 
rounding the  village.  The  height  occupied  by  this  demi- 
brigade,  covered  the  only  opening  by  which  the  right,  un 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


133 


der  general  Joubert,  could  retire  ; and  the  imperialists  had 
collected  all  their  forces  to  bear  down  on  the  centre.  Buo- 
naparte, feeling  the  importance  of  this  post,  and  observing 
the  critical  situation  in  which  the  troops  were  placed,  being 
completely  turned  on  their  left  by  a part  of  the  enemy’s 
right,  hastened  to  the  place,  at  the  same  time  ordering  the 
32d  demi-brigade,  that  had  arrived  from  Verona,  to  ad- 
vance immediately,  under  the  command  of  general  Masse- 
na  ; they  instantly  forced  the  enemy  to  retire,  and  the  posts 
formerly  occupied  by  the  29th  and  85th  were  recovered  ; 
the  right,  which  was  on  the  elevated  bank,  had  remarked 
the  momentary  disorder  of  the  left,  and  had  fallen  back  to 
the  height  in  the  centre,  and  defiled  by  the  passage,  cover- 
ed by  the  height,  occupied  by  the  14th  demi-brigade. 
General  Berthier  had  dispatched  the  2d  battalion  to  favour 
the  retreat  of  the  troops  occupying  the  hedges  of  St.  Mar- 
tin, while  he,  with  the  3d,  occupied  the  height  in  the  cen- 
tre, and,  surrounded  by  the  enemy’s  centre,  and  a part  of 
their  right,  maintained  its  position  for  sev  ral  minutes,  but 
the  right  of  the  republicans  was  driven  to  Ravoli  in  great 
disorder. 

The  battle  had  now  lasted  three  hours  : one  of  the  Aus- 
trian columns,  which  had  filed  along  the  Adige,  proceeded 
to  the  plateau  of  Rivoli,  with  an  intent  to  carry  it,  and,  in 
this  direction,  threatened  to  turn  the  right  and  centre.  Buo- 
naparte ordered  general  Leclerc  to  ch  rge  the  imperialists, 
if  they  succeeded  in  carrying  the  plateau , while  Lasalle. 
chief  of  squadron,  was  directed,  with  a detachment  of 
| dragoons,  to  take  in  flank  the  Austrian  infantry,  who  at- 
tacked the  French  centre.  At  the  same  instant  Joubert 
sent  down  some  battalions  from  the  heights  of  San  Marco, 
who  precipitated  themselves  on  the  plateau  ; and  the  im- 
perialists, who  had  already  penetrated  to  it,  were  driven  in- 
to the  valley  of  the  Adige,  leaving  a great  number  of  dead, 
and  part  of  their  artillery.  Nearly  at  the  same  moment, 
the  Austrian  column,  which  had  been  some  time  on  its 
! march  to  turn  the  French,  and  cut  off  their  retreat,  formed 
: in  order  of  battle  behind  Rivoli,  in  the  rear  of  the  French, 
and  covered  all  the  heights  between  the  Adige  and  the  lake 
of  Garda,  so  that  the  French  line  was  completely  turned, 
and  all  communication  cut  off  with  Verona  and  Peschiera  : 
two  battalions  of  the  Austrians,  confident  of  success,  ex- 


134 


THE  LIFE  OF 


claimed,  JVehave  them!  and,  proceeding  by  the  valley  of 
the  Adige,  advanced  with  fury  to  carry  the  entrenchments 
of  Rivoli,  but  were  repulsed  in  three  attacks  : meanwhile, 
Buonaparte  had  planted  four  pieces  of  light  artillery,  that 
cannonaded  the  right  of  the  Austrian  line.  The  18th,  and 
some  troops  of  the  75th  demi-brigade,  under  generals 
Brune  and  Monnier,  advanced,  in  three  columns,  and  at- 
tacking the  right  wing  of  the  Austrian  line,  that  occupied 
an  advantageous  height  in  the  rear  of  the  French;  in  an  in- 
stant the  whole  Austrian  column,  consisting  of  4,000  men, 
were  taken  prisoners. 

In  the  night  of  the  15th  Buonaparte  hastened  to  St.  An- 
thony, where  he  gave  orders  to  attack  the  column  of  Pro- 
vera  on  the  16th.  This  general  finding  that  he  could  not 
make  himself  master  of  St.  George  by  main  force,  and  hav- 
ing received  no  intelligence  of  the  main  body  of  Alvinzi’s 
army,  could  now  only  indulge  a hope  of  being  able  to  en- 
gage the  French  with  advantage,  when  acting  in  combina- 
tion with  a powerful  sally  of  the  garrison  of  Mantua. — 
Buonaparte,  therefore,  laboured  to  prevent  this  junction,  and 
to  surround  the  column  of  Provera  : general  Dumas  was 
posted,  with  a corps  of  observation  at  St.  Anthony,  in  front 
of  the  citadel ; general  Serrurier,  with  a column  of  1,500 
men,  began  his  march  an  hour  before  day-break,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  La  Favorite,  whilst  general  Victor,  with  the  57tfi 
and  18th  demi- brigades,  turned  general  Provera. 

The  French,  upon  this  occasion,  took  6,000  infantry, 
700  cavalry,  22  pieces  of  cannon,  all  the  waggons  and  bag- 
gage, and  the  entire  corps  of  the  volunteers  of  Vienna.  Four 
hundred  of  the  garrison  of  Mantua  were  also  taken ; the 
rest  of  the  troops,  who  had  sallied  out  of  the  fortress,  hav- 
ing effected  their  retreat : after  this  the  French  again  occu- 
pied their  posts  for  carrying  on  the  blockade. 

General  Alvinzi’s  army  was  now  quite  enfeebled  : in  the 
space  of  four  days  the  republicans  had  fought  two  pitched 
battles,  six  inferior  actions,  and  took  nearly  25,000  prison-  ! 
ers,  among  whom  were  a lieutenant-general,  two  generals, . 
and  12  or  15  colonels,  with  20  standards,  60  pieces  of  can- 
non, with  their  waggons,  and  all  the  baggage  of  general 
Provera’s  column,  besides  killing  or  wounding  about  6,000 
men.  General  Rey  was  charged  with  conducting  the  pris- 
oners to  Grenoble  by  detachments  of  3,000  men,  at  the  dis- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


135 


tance  of  one  day’s  march  from  each  other,  under  the  escort 
of  the  58th  demi-brigade,  and  a squadron  of  cavalry.  All 
the  troops  performed  wonders.  “ The  Roman  legions,” 
said  Buonaparte  in  his  dispatches,  “are  reported  to  have 
marched  twenty-four  miles  a day  : our  brigades,  though 
fighting  at  intervals,  marched  thirty.” 

On  the  18th  of  February,  1797,  the  executive  directory 
received  the  new  trophies  of  the  army  of  Italy  ; and,  on 
their  repairing  to  the  hall  of  public  audience,  the  standards 
taken  in  the  late  engagements,  were  introduced  amidst  reit- 
erated acclamations  of  Vive  la  Republique  ! These  ensigns 
wrere  preceded  by  the  minister  of  war,  accompanied  by  the 
chief  of  squadron,  Bessieres,  who  was  entrusted  by  the 
general  in  chief  with  the  charge  of  presenting  them  to  the 
directory.  The  minister,  after  observing  in  his  address, 
that  the  army  of  Italy,  always  victorious,  still  continued  to 
present  new  monuments  of  its  glory,  informed  the  direc- 
tory, that  they  now  beheld  the  trophies  of  its  last  successes, 
— the  standards  of  Alvinzi,  and  of  the  captive  Provera. — - 
“ At  this  moment,  said  he,  30,000  of  these  Austrians,  who 
had  flattered  themselves  with  compelling  us  to  repass  the 
Alps,  climb  those  Alps  themselves  ; but  they  climb  them 
• — vanquished,  disarmed,  and  prisoners  !” 

On  the  28th,  whilst  a corps  of  military  musicians  per- 
formed the  favourite  airs  of  the  French,  a discharge  of  artil- 
lery announced  the  arrival  of  the  60  standards  taken  at 
Mantua,  and  of  general  Augereau,  charged  with  present- 
ing them  to  the  directory.  He  entered  amidst  universal  ac- 
clamations and  reiterated  cries  of  Vive  la  Republique  ! and 
was  preceded  by  60  veteran  warriors,  each,  with  republican 
pride,  bearing  an  Austrian  standard.  On  his  arrival  at  the 
Estrade,  the  general  was  presented  to  the  directory  by  the 
minister  of  war,  who  observed  in  his  address,  that, 

“ At  the  moment  when  so  many  kings  combined  against 
France,  and  when  the  inexperience  of  her  troops,  and  the 
puissance  of  her  foes,  were  exaggerated,  it  was  far  from 
being  foreseen,  that  the  genius  of  the  republic,  sweeping 
the  imperial  eagle  before  her,  would  spread  her  wings  from 
Holland  to  the  banks  of  the  Tiber;  but  it  belonged  to  a 
people  who  had  recovered  their  own  liberty , to  revive  it  in 
those  places  which  were  formerly  its  cradle.  Our  first  cam- 
paigns were  rendered  remarkable  by  that  sudden  explosion 


236 


THE  LIFE  OF 


which,  precipitating  on  the  frontiers  a million  of  soldiers 
opposed  enthusiasm  and  courage  to  experience.  The  pres- 
ent  campaign  exhibited  a spectacle  of  a different  aspect ; the 
genius  of  a hero  struggling  against  the  knowledge  of  old  and 
experienced  warriors ; French  valour,  bounding  over  moun- 
tains, rivers,  and  every  difficulty  which  nature  and  art 
could  oppose,  and  in  the  midst  of  so  many  battles,  and 
the  intoxication  of  so  many  victories,  still  retaining  its 
character  of  mildness  and  generosity.  Our  warriors,  in 
their  triumphal  march,  shew  themselves  the  deliverers  of 
the  people , and  not  the  destroyers  of  the  governments  ; the 
protectors  of  religion,  and  the  friends  of  the  arts,  whose 
native  country  they  have  conquered.  “ To  me,”  concluded 
the  minister,  “ it  gives  exquisite  satisfaction  to  present  to 
the  directory,  at  the  same  moment,  the  monuments  of  the 
conquest  of  Italy,  and  the  brave  Augereau,  who,  in  a mo- 
ment of  peril,  imitating  the  example  of  Buonaparte,  grasp- 
ed a standard,  and,  darting  forward  in  front  of  our  battal- 
ions, decided  the  victory.” 

An  ardent  mind,  subject  to  so  little  control  as  that  of 
Buonaparte,  could  not  long  want  opportunities  of  indulging 
its  ambition.  The  papal  states  could  now  be  invaded  with- 
out any  apprehensions  being  entertained  from  a too  exten- 
sive dispersion  of  the  republican  troops  ; and  an  intercepted 
letter,  or  a letter  said  to  have  been  intercepted,  in  its  way 
from  the  pope’s  secretary  to  the  nuncio  at  Vienna,  afforded 
a pretence  for  breaking  the  armistice  that  had  been  con- 
cluded. 

Buonaparte  had  previously  addressed  the  following  letter : 

TO  CARDINAL  MATTHEI. 

“ The  court  of  Rome  has  refused  to  accept  the  conditions 
of  peace,  which  the  directory  offers  ; she  has  broken  the 
truce — she  arms— -she  wishes  for  war,  and  she  shall  have 
it  ; and  you  know,  Cardinal,  the  strength  and  valour  of  the 
army  which  I command.  To  destroy  the  temporal  power 
of  the  pope,  I need  but  to  wish  it.  Go  to  Rome,  there- 
fore, and  enlighten  his  holiness  as  to  his  true  interest — 
deliver  him  from  the  intriguers,  who  besiege  him.  The 
French  government  permits  me  to  receive  propositions  of 
peace,  and  all  may  yet  be  settled.  I wish  you,  M.  Car 
dinal,  in  your  mission,  all  the  success  which  the  purity 
of  your  intentions  deserve 

22d  Oct.  1796. 


Buonaparte.” 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  137 

To  this  letter,  Cardinal  Matthei  returned  an  indiscreet 
answer,  of  which  the  ensuing  is  an  abstract : 

TO  M.  GENERAL  BUONAPARTE. 

“ I have  laid  before  his  holiness  the  letter  which  you  took 
the  trouble  to  write  to  me,  M.  general. — The  sovereign 
pontiff  hath- always  endeavoured  to  maintain  peace,  for  this 
purpose  he  has  submitted  to  many  sacrifices.  When  France, 
thrown  into  confusion  by  the  unfortunate  events  which  have 
afflicted  her  for  these  seven  years  past,  wrung  his  heart  with 
grief,  he  remembered  that  he  was  the  common  father  of  all 
Christian  nations  ; and  when  he  saw  his  children  of  the 
church  led  astray  by  the  most  dangerous  seductions,  he 
thought  that  gentleness  was  the  only  remedy  which  he  could 
employ,  hoping  that  it  would  please  God  to  cure  them  of 
their  blindness,  and  bring  them  back  to  just  and  reasonable 
maxims.  The  success  of  your  army  in  Italy  has  so  far 
misled  your  government,  that,  by  the  most  intolerable  abuse 
of  prosperity,  not  content  with  having  shorn  the  lamb  to  the 
quick,  they  wished  to  eat  it  also,  and  even  required  of  the 
pope  to  make  a sacrifice  of  his  conscience,  and  that  of  the 
people  committed  to  his  care,  in  exacting  the  overthrow 
and  total  destruction  of  those  fundamental  points  which  are 
the  basis  of  the  Christian  religion,  of  morality,  and  church 
J discipline.  His  holiness,  after  having  in  vain  solicited  the 
directory  to  listen  to  more  reasonable  conditions,  the  court 
of  Rome,  must  prepare  for  war : it  belongs  to  the  rest  of 
Europe  to  decide  who  has  been  the  aggressor.  Your  army 
is  formidable,  but  you  know  that  it  is  not  invincible : we 
will  oppose  to  it  all  our  resources,  our  constancy,  cur  con- 
fidence  in  a good  cause,  and  above  all,  the  aid  of  the  Al- 
mighty. You  say  you  desire  peace  ; we  wish  it  more  than 
you  : grant  it  upon  moderate  conditions,  and  such  as  our 
allies  can  subscribe  to,  and  you  will  find  us  ready  to  yield. 
On  his  part,  his  holiness  will  make  any  sacrifice  to  obtain  it, 
which  may  not  be  inconsistent  with  his  duty  : we  venture 
to  believe,  M.  general,  that,  for  yourself,  you  incline  to  the 
principles  of  justice  and  humanity,  and  1 shall  at  all  times 
be  happy  to  co-operate  with  you  in  the  great  affair  of  pacifi- 
cation. Matthei.” 

Home,  Dec.  2,  1796. 

On  the  5th  of  January,  1797,  Buonaparte  recalled  the 
French  minister  from  Rome,  and  wrote  the  following  letter 

18 


138 


THE  LIFE  OF 


TO  CARDINAL  MATTHEI. 

“ The  influence  of  foreigners  at  Rome  will  be  its  ruin  j 
the  words  of  peace  which  1 charged  you  to  carry  to  his  ho 
liness,  were  stifled  by  men  to  whom  the  glory  of  Rome  is 
nothing.  You  are  witness  how  much  I desired  to  avoid 
the  horrors  of  war;  but  the  letter  which  I send  you,  and 
of  which  I have  the  originals,  will  convince  you  of  the  per- 
fidy, blindness,  and  obstinacy,  of  the  court  of  Rome. 
Whatever  may  happen,  I entreat  you  to  assure  his  holiness, 
that  he  may  remain  at  Rome  without  any  inquietude  : as 
the  first  minister  of  religion,  he  shall  find  protection  for 
himself  and  the  church.  My  great  care  shall  be  to  intro  - 
duce no  change  in  the  religion  which  is  established. 

Buonaparte.” 

General  Victor  was  now  ordered  to  march  to  Rome,  an 
expedition  which  he  commenced,  by  immediately  taking 
Imola  ; and  then  Faenza,  Forli,  Cezena,  Ravena,  See.  with 
as  little  difficulty.  The  papal  troops  broke  down  the  bridges, 
and  attempted  to  fortify  themselves  upon  the  Lenis ; but 
instead  of  relying  upon  their  own  courage,  their  hopes  were 
grounded  upon  the  blessings  of  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul.  Vic- 
tor was  not  disposed  to  be  charmed  into  submission;  and, 
therefore,  he  drove  the  infatuated  wretches  forward,  “ like 
chaff  before  the  wind.”  A general  panic  spread  itself 
throughout  the  ecclesiastical  state ; persons  of  all  ranks 
endeavoured  to  escape,  with  their  property,  into  Naples, 
and  the  pope  dispatched  four  plenipotentiaries  with  a letter 
to  Buonaparte,  praying  for  peace. 

This  letter,  with  its  answer,  will  serve  to  shew,  that,  if 
our  hero  knew  how  to  flatter,  when  it  would  serve  his  turn, 
he  himself  was  not  altogether  insensible  to  the  shafts  of 
flattery. 

POPE  PIUS  VI. 

“ Dear  son , health  and  apostolic  benediction  ! 

“ Desiring  to  terminate  amicably  our  differences  with 
the  French  republic,  by  the  retreat  of  the  troops,  which 
you  command,  we  send  and  depute  to  you,  as  our  pleni- 
potentiaries, two  ecclesiastics,  the  Cardinal  Matthei,  who 
is  perfectly  known  to  you,  and  M.  Galeppi ; and  two  secu- 
lars, the  duke  Louis  Braschi,  our  nephew,  and  the  marquis 
Camillo  Massinio,  who  are  invested  with  our  full  powers 
to  concert,  promise,  and  subscribe,  such  conditions,  as  we 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


139 


'hope  will  be  just  and  reasonable,  obliging  ourselves,  under 
our  faith  and  word,  to  approve  and  ratify  them  in  a special 
form,  in  order  that  they  may  be  valid  and  inviolable  in  all 
future  time.  Assured  of  the  sentiments  of  good-will  which 
you  have  manifested,  we  have  abstained  from  removing 
any  thing  from  Rome,  by  which  you  will  be  persuaded  of 
die  entire  confidence  which  we  repose  in  you.  We  con- 
clude, by  assuring  you  of  our  most  perfect  esteem,  and 
presenting  you  with  the  paternal  apostolic  benediction. 

Pius,  P.  P.  VI. 

“Given  at  St.  Peter,  in  Rome,  the  12th  February,  1797, 
the  22d  year  of  our  pontificate.” 

Buonaparte,  general  in  chief  of  the  army  of  Italy , to 
his  holiness  the  pope. 

“ Head-quarters  at  Tolentino,  l Yentose,  5th  year. 
il  MOST  HOLY  FATHER  ! 

“ I ought  to  thank  your  holiness  for  the  obliging  things 
contained  in  the  letter,  which  you  have  taken  the  trouble 
to  write  to  me. 

“ The  peace  between  the  French  republic  and  your  ho- 
liness is  just  signed:  I felicitate  myself  on  being  able  to 
contribute  to  your  personal  safety. 

“ I entreat  your  holiness  to  guard  against  the  persons 
now  at  Rome,  who  are  sold  to  the  courts,  the  enemies  of 
peace,  or  who  suffer  themselves  to  be  guided,  exclusively, 
by  the  passion  of  hatred,  which  the  loss  of  territory  en- 
genders. 

“ Europe  knows  the  pacific  inclinations,  and  the  virtue 
of  your  holiness.  The  French  republic  will  be  one  of  the 
truest  friends  of  Rome. 

“ I send  my  aid-de-camp,  chief  of  brigade,  to  express 
to  your  holiness,  the  perfect  esteem  and  veneration  which  I 
have  for  your  person,  and  to  entreat  you  to  confide  in  the 
desire  which  I have  to  give  you,  on  every  occasion,  the 
I respect  and  veneration,  with  which  1 have  the  honour  to  be, 
Your  most  obedient  servant,  Buonaparte.” 

This  treaty  of  peace  between  the  republic  and  the  pope 
I was  ratified  by  the  latter,  and  confirmed  by  the  French 
; government : it  provided  that  there  should  be  peace,  amity, 
land  good  intelligence,  between  the  republic,  and  his  holi- 
jness,  and  that  the  latter  revoked  all  adhesion,  consent,  or 


14G 


THE  LIFE  OF 


accession  by  writing  or  secret  promise,  given  by  him  to 
the  coalition  armed  against  the  republic,  and  to  every  treaty 
of  alliance,  offensive  or  defensive,  entered  into  with  any 
power  or  state  whatever : it  was  stipulated,  that  ships  of 
war,  or  corsairs  of  the  powers  armed  against  the  republic, 
should  not  enter,  during  the  present  war,  into  the  ports  or 
roads  of  the  ecclesiastical  state.  The  republic  should  con- 
tinue to  enjoy,  as  before  the  war,  all  the  rights  and  pre- 
rogatives, which  France  had  at  Rome.  The  pope  renounced, 
purely  and  simply,  all  rights  he  could  claim  to  the  towns 
and  territory  of  Avignon,  the  Comtat-Venaissin,  and  its 
dependencies,  and  transferred  to  the  republic,  all  his  rights 
to  the  territories,  known  by  the  names  of  the  legations  of 
Bologna,  Ferrara,  and  Romagna ; he  engaged  to  pay  and 
deliver,  at  Foligno,  to  the  treasurers  of  the  French  army, 
before  the  5th  of  March,  the  sum  of  15,000,000  of  livres 
turnois,  10,000,000  of  which  to  be  paid  in  specie,  and  five 
in  diamonds,  and  other  precious  articles,  out  of  the  sum 
of  about  16,000,000,  still  remaining  due  on  the  9th  article 
of  the  armistice,  signed  at  Bologna  on  the  21st  of  June 
last,  and  to  furnish  to  the  army  800  cavalry  horses,  with 
their  harnessing,  800  draft  horses,  besides  oxen,  buffaloes, 
and  other  produce  of  the  territory  of  the  church.  Inde- 
pendently of  those  sums,  the  pope,  by  the  12th  article  of 
this  treaty,  engaged  to  pay  to  the  republic  in  money,  dia- 
monds, or  other  valuables,  the  sum  of  15,000,000  livres 
turnois,  10,000,000  of  which  in  the  course  of  the  month 
of  March,  and  5,000,000  in  that  of  April  following.  The 
8th  article  of  the  treaty  of  armistice,  concerning  the  man- 
uscripts and  objects  of  the  arts,  was  to  receive  complete 
execution  with  all  possible  promptitude  : it  was  agreed, 
that  the  French  army  should  evacuate  Umbria,  Perugia, 
Camerino,  and  the  whole  of  the  territory  which  this  treaty 
had  left  to  the  pope,  as  soon  as  the  articles  relating  to  the 
payments  should  be  executed  and  accomplished.  His  holi- 
ness consented  to  disavow,  by  his  minister  at  Paris,  the 
assassination  of  Basseville,  secretary  of  legation,  and  to  pay, 
at  the  disposal  of  the  French  government,  the  sum  of 
300,000  livres,  to  be  divided  among  those  who  suffered  by 
that  deed  : he  also  engaged  to  set  at  liberty  all  those  in  a 
state  of  detention  on  account  of  their  political  opinions. 
The  general  in  chief  was  to  permit  such  of  his  holiness'- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


141 


troops  as  were  prisoners  of  war,  to  return  home,  immediate- 
ly  on  the  ratification  of  the  treaty ; and  it  was  agreed,  that, 
those  sundry  other  articles  of  minor  consideration,  were, 
without  exception,  to  be  obligatory  for  ever  on  his  holiness 
and  his  successors. 

Buonaparte  seems  to  have  been  already  so  much  of  a 
sovereign,  as  to  have  understood  the  supreme  art  of  med- 
dling, or  as  some  persons  would  say,  of  legislating , or,  as 
might,  perhaps,  more  properly  be  said,  of  interfering,  where 
his  interference  was  not  asked.  The  little  republic  of  Santa 
Marino  had  afforded  the  general  no  pretence  to  quarrel  with 
it ; yet  it  did  not  escape  his  notice,  but  he  chose  to  attack 
it,  by  a shower  of  favours,  instead  of  the  power  of  his  arms. 
Under  colour  of  removing  any  uneasiness  that  this  tree  state 
might  suffer  from  the  contiguity  of  the  French  army,  he 
sent  a deputy  to  its  government,  with  an  offer  of  his  pro- 
tection. Citizen  Monge  was  introduced  to  the  two  cap- 
tain regents  of  that  republic,  and  informed  them  of  the  ob- 
ject of  his  mission,  in  a speech  of  the  following  purport : 

• ‘ Liberty,”  said  he,  “ which  in  the  fair  days  of  Athens, 
and  of  Thebes,  transformed  the  Greeks  into  a people  of 
heroes, — which  in  the  time  of  the  republic,  made  the  Ro- 
mans perform  wonders, — which,  during  the  short  interval 
it  diffused  its  influence  over  some  of  the  cities  of  Italy, 
revived  the  sciences  and  the  arts,  and  gave  a lustre  to 
Florence  ; liberty,  while  nearly  banished  from  Europe, 
existed  in  St.  Marino  ; where,  by  the  wisdom  of  the  gov- 
ernment, and  especially  by  their  virtues,  the  people  have 
preserved  this  precious  deposit,  notwithstanding  so  many 
revolutions,  and  defended  its  asylum  during  so  long  a se- 
ries of  years.  After  a century  of  knowledge,  the  French 
people,  blushing  at  their  own  slavery,  have  made  an  effort, 
and  are  free.  All  Europe,  blinded  as  to  their  proper  inters 
ests,  coalesced  and  armed  against  the  French  republic  ; 
and,  what  afflicted  her  most,  a portion  of  herself  kindled 
civil  war,  and  compelled  her  to  have  recourse  to  measures, 
of  which  she  must  feel  the  unfortunate  consequences. 
Alone,  in  the  midst  of  this  tempest,  without  experience, 
arms,  or  chiefs,  she  hastened  to  the  frontiers,  and,  making 
head  in  every  direction,  was  soon  even  where  triumphant. 
Of  her  numerous  enemies,  the  wisest  withdrew  from  the 
coalition ; others,  yielding  to  her  victorious  arms,  obtained 


142 


THE  LIFE  OF 


successively  the  peace  they  implored.  In  fine,  three  only 
now  remained,  but  they  were  impassioned,  and  listened  to 
no  counsel,  except  that  of  pride,  jealousy,  and  hatred. 
One  of  the  French  armies,  on  entering  Italy,  had  destroyed, 
in  succession,  four  Austrian  armies,  bringing  in  its  train 
liberty  to  these  delightful  countries,  and,  almost  under  the 
eyes  of  the  men  he  addressed,  covering  itself  with  immortal 
glory.  The  French  republic,  afflicted  on  account  of  the 
blood  she  sheds , offers  peace,  when  she  might  dictate  laws  ! 
Here  the  orator  paused,  as  if  he  thought  this  pompous  dis- 
play of  irresistible  power,  would  not  have  sufficient  weight 
without  a pointed  interrogatory.  “ Would  you  believe  it, 
citizens,”  continued  he,  “ every  where  her  propositions 
have  been  rejected  with  haughtiness,  or  eluded  with  cun- 
ning ? The  army  of  Italy,  thus  constrained  to  conquer 
peace,  is  obliged,  in  pursuit  of  one  of  its  enemies,  to  pass 
in  the  vicinity  of  your  territory.  I come,  on  the  part  of  | 
general  Buonaparte,  and  in  the  name  of  the  French  repub- 
lic, to  assure  the  ancient  republic  of  St.  Marino,  of  peace 
and  inviolable  friendship.  Citizen  regents  ! the  political 
constitution  of  the  surrounding  nations,  may  experience 
changes  : if  any  portion  of  your  frontiers  was  disputed,  or 
if  any  part  of  the  neighbouring  states,  although  not  con- 
tested, be  absolutely  necessary  to  you,  I am  charged  by 
the  general  in  chief,  to  request  you  to  make  it  known  to 
him.  The  French  republic  is  eager  to  give  you  proofs  of 
the  sincerity  of  her  friendship,  and  I felicitate  myself  on 
being  the  organ  of  a mission,  the  object  of  which  must  be 
acceptable  to  the  two  republics,  and  which  procures  to  me 
the  opportunity  of  testifying  to  you  the  veneration  you  in- 
spire in  all  the  friends  of  liberty.” 

This  free  republic  had  maintained  its  liberty  ever  since 
its  first  foundation  in  the  5th  century.  The  numbers  of 
its  inhabitants  did  not  exceed  5,000,  but  the  smallness  of 
its  revenue  was  compensated  by  the  simplicity  of  its  gov- 
ernment, and  its  power  had  been  sufficient  to  preserve  its  j 
existence,  without  the  aid  of  allies.  By  virtue  and  inde- 
pendence, this  “ feeble  folk,”  had  overcome  all  the  in- 
trigues and  all  the  authority,  which  cardinal  Alberoni  had 
excited  against  them  ; and  there  was,  at  the  present  time, 
no  power  that  had  either  the  means  or  the  inclination  to 
interrupt  their  tranquillity  ; the  solicitude  of  the  great  gen - 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


143 


eral,  therefore,  could  only  be  traced  to  that  all -corrupting 
principle,  by  which  the  bestowers  of  favours,  and  the 
givers  of  charity,  are  generally  influenced,  when,  under 
the  mask  of  kindness  and  benevolence,  they  treacherously 
rob  the  weak  of  that  independence,  which  open  violence 
would  be  wholly  unable  to  obtain. 

The  adventurous  candidate  for  a diadem  and  an  empire 
knew  perfectly  well,  that  whoever  can  be  prevailed  upon  to 
accept  of  grace,  has  no  longer  occasion  for  his  own  virtue, 
and  that  whosoever  can  be  brought  to  relv  upon  another 
will  soon  be  rendered  incapable  of  serving  himself  : it  was 
in  this  point  of  view,  that  it  appeared  to  the  regents ; but 
the  very  proposition  had  a corrupting  tendency,  for  it  was 
not  possible,  that  such  a diminutive  state  could  speak  its 
real  sentiments,  surrounded,  as  it  was,  by  large  armies  : it 
was  obliged  to  temporise,  and  to  endeavour,  by  flattering 
the  great  man,  to  prevail  upon  him  to  keep  his  kindness  to 
himself,  and  let  them  alone. 

In  answer  to  the  citizen  Monge,  the  representatives  of 
the  republic  of  St.  Marino  stated,  that  they  still  regarded 
as  a dream  the  moment  in  which  they  had  seen  him  arrive, 

! clothed  with  the  character  of  deputy  ; it  was  the  first 
time,  that,  distinguished  from  the  crowd  of  vile  slaves, 

! they  had  received  an  honour,  which  his  great  nation  alone 
} could  bestow.  They  presented  him  the  answer  of  the 
j council- general,  to  the  invaluable  letter  he  had  brought, 

I and  observed,  that  if  he  himself  had  been  present  at  its  re- 
j ception,  he  would  have  witnessed  the  satisfaction  it  pro- 
duced. “ Deign,”  said  they,  “ to  be  the  interpreter  of  our 
gratitude,  and  the  sentiments  of  regard  we  entertain  for  the 
general  in  chief,  and  the  great  nation  he  represents.  Inter- 
cede, also,  for  the  favours  we  have  to  ask  of  him,  one  of 
which  is  indispensable  to  our  existence.  The  issue  of  this 
(affair  must  be  fortunate,  if  you  support  our  request  with 
|your  credit : may  this  be  the  commencement  of  relations 
jwe  desire  to  maintain  with  you,  and  be  persuaded  that  our 
Jesteem  for  you  equals  our  gratitude.” 

The  answer  of  the  republic  assured  Monge,  that  they 
I would  insert,  in  the  number  of  the  epochs,  the  most  glori- 
ous in  the  calender  of  their  liberty,  the  day  of  his  mission 
to  their  republic.  France  knexv  not  only  how  to  vanquish 
her  enemies  by  force  of  arms , but  also  to  astonish  her  friends 


144 


THE  LIFE  OF 


by  her  generosity.  Happy,  in  being  able  to  reckon  them- 
selves among  the  models,  which  excited  the  noble  emula- 
tion of  Frenchmen,  and  more  happy  still  in  being  found 
worthy  of  their  friendship,  of  which  he  had  given  them  so 
eminent  a proof,  they  could  not  view,  without  the  most 
lively  interest,  the  arms  of  the  French  republic  restoring  in 
Italy  the  fair  days  of  the  Greek  and  Homan  republics. 
Love  of  their  own  freedom  made  them  feel  the  value  of  the 
magnanimous  efforts  of  a great  nation,  that  wished  to  re- 
cover its  liberty  The  French  envoy  knew,  that  simplicity 
of  manners,  and  the  innate  sentiment  of  their  liberty,  were 
the  sole  inheritance  transmitted  them  by  their  fathers  : this 
inheritance  they  had  preserved  inviolate  in  the  midst  of  the 
political  shocks  occasioned  by  the  revolution  of  many  ages, 
and  neither  ambition  nor  hatred  had  been  able  to  destroy  it. 
“ Return,  therefore,”  continued  they,  “ to  the  hero  who 
sent  you  : bear  to  him  the  free  homage,  not  only  of  that 
admiration  which  we  participate,  in  common  with  the  uni- 
verse, but  also  of  our  gratitude.  Tell  him,  that  the  repub- 
lic of  St.  Marino,  content  with  her  mediocrity,  is  afraid  to 
accept  the  generous  offer  he  has  made  of  aggrandizing  her 
territory , the  consequence  of  which  might  compromise  her 
liberty.  As  to  yourself,  illustrious  envoy  ! we  esteem  our- 
selves so  much  the  more  happy  at  this  moment  in  having 
you  amongst  us,  as  you  unite  the  talents  of  the  scholar  with 
the  civic  virtues.  The  object  of  your  mission,  the  manner 
you  fulfil  it,  and  the  name  of  him  who  has  sent  you,  will 
prove  a lasting  monument  of  the  magnanimity  of  the  con- 
querors of  Italy,  and  ever  revive  in  our  breasts  those  senti- 
ments of  gratitude  we  at  present  experience.” 

This  incident  in  the  general’s  history  is  far  from  trifling, 
as  it  tends  to  develope  his  character  at  a time  when  it  was 
little  understood.  Notwithstanding  the  wisdom  and  firm- 
ness with  which  these  independent  people  had  refused  his 
offers,  on  his  return  from  Tolentino,  Buonaparte  presented 
their  state  with  four  pieces  of  cannon,  in  the  name  of  the 
French  republic,  and  directed  a supply  of  corn,  of  which 
the  inhabitants  wished  to  make  a purchase,  to  be  delivered 
to  them  gratuitously. 

Upon  the  first  of  these  presents,  it  is  very  natural  to  re- 
mark, that  the  general  had  upwards  of  1,000  cannon  that 
he  had  no  kind  of  occasion  for,  and  that  the  state  of  Santa 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


145 


Marino  had  existed  more  than  a thousand  years  without 
feeling  the  want  of  them  : it  was  an  empty  gift  of  the  same 
stamp,  as  the  trafficking-  donations  of  some  rich  men,  who 
bestow  charity,-  not  for  the  purpose  of  confering  benefits, 
but  of  gaining  applause  ; it  was  worthless  to  him  who  gave 
it,  and  useless  to  those  who  received  it.  Not  so  the  other 
part  of  the  conqueror’s  generosity.  A supply  of  corn  was 
a real  and  substantial  good,  which  the  people  had  an  imme- 
diate occasion  for,  but  their  wish  was  to  buy  it,  and  they 
could  better  afford  to  have  paid  for  it,  than  the  people  whom, 
he  had  pillaged  could  afford  to  part  with  it  without  money. 
Why  then  would  the  general  sacrifice  his  justice  to  his  gen- 
erosity, unless  his  views  were  like  the  old  court  of  Egypt, 
which  invited  the  sons  of  Jacob  to  enjoy  the  treasure  of  their 
granaries,  and  when  it  had  brought  them  into  its  debt,  held 
them  for  bondmen  and  bondwomen,  and  refused  to  let  them 
call  any  thing  their  own  ? Buonaparte  would,  however,  be 
generous  ; yet  the  people  of  Marino  ate  his  “ dainties  with 
reluctance,  for  they  regarded  them  as  deceitful  meat.'''’ 

The  general  gained  much  eclat  about  this  time,  from  the 
literary  world,  by  the  means  that  he  took  to  compliment 
the  egotism,  and  flatter  the  vanity  of  learned  men  : the  vil- 
lage of  Pietola,  is  the  ancient  spot  of  Andes,  where  Virgil 
was  born,  and  the  surrounding  fields  were  formerly  part  of 
the  liberalities  of  Augustus : they  had  probably  suffered  as 
much  during  the  blockade  and  siege  of  Mantua  as  in  the 
wars  of  the  triumvirate  ; but,  happily  for  their  inhabitants, 
the  conqueror  of.  Italy  was  no  less  desirous  of  fame  than 
Augustus  : Virgil  was  in  his  recollection  ; and  Buonaparte 
gave  orders  that  the  ancient  patrimony  of  the  Mantuan  bard, 
the  prince  of  Latin  poets,  should  be  particularly  distinguish- 
ed, and  that  its  inhabitants  should  be  indemnified  for  all  the- 
losses  they  had  sustained  by  the  war. 


CHAPTER  X. 

Whilst  our  hero  was  thus  taking  advantage  of  circum- 
stances to  the  advancement  of  his  fortune,  the  other  branch- 
es of  his  family  seem  to  have  been  equally  diligent.  His 
brothers,  Joseph  and  Lucien,  availed  themselves  of  the 


146 


THE  LIFE  OF 


credit  that  his  successes  attached  to  their  name,  and,  with 
very  little  either  of  talents  or  property  contrived  to  obtain 
seats  in  the  legislative  body.  Louis,  his  third  brother,  re- 
ceived an  appointment  as  lieutenant-colonel  in  the  army  of 
Italy  ; and  Jerome,  though  a mere  schoolboy,  we  have  al- 
ready seen  presented  to  the  chief  magistrates  and  people  of 
France.  It  was,  perhaps,  not  virtue,  but  policy  that  indu- 
ced the  general  to  appropriate  a part  of  his  immense  riches 
towards  raising  his  mother  and  sisters  also  from  the  medi- 
ocrity of  their  former  station ; yet,  as  it  would  have  been 
sordid  and  vicious  to  have  acted  otherwise,  he  is  at  least  en- 
titled to  the  negative  merit  of  not  having  neglected  a duty 
in  this  instance  : nor  should  it  be  forgotten,  that  he  owes 
much  of  his  success  to  the  wise  and  judicious  arrangements 
of  Madame  Buonaparte,  who  kept  his  mind  wholly  freed 
from  domestic  or  family  disappointments. 

The  war  continued  in  Italy,  with  little  intermission,  du- 
ring the  winter.  The  total  annihilation  of  Alvinzi’s  army 
rendering  it  necessary  to  form  another,  for  the  purpose  of 
covering  the  heriditary  states,  the  court  of  Vienna  thought 
proper  to  give  the  command  of  this  new  army  to  the  arch- 
duke. His  late  good  fortune  on  the  Rhine,  and  the  attach- 
ment of  the  Austrian  soldiery  to  his  royal  highness,  ex- 
cited the  most  sanguine  expectations  of  success  : — but  his 
laurels  withered  in  presence  of  the  formidable  warrior  he 
had  to  encounter.  The  inclemency  of  the  weather,  and  the 
fatigue  the  troops  had  undergone,  suspended  farther  opera- 
tions on  the  Rhine ; preparations  were  made  for  opening 
the  campaign  with  decisive  effect,  and  these  were  hastened, 
in  order  to  second  the  invasion  of  Germany,  which  Buona- 
parte meditated  from  the  northern  frontier  of  Italy.  The 
army  of  the  Sambre  and  Meuse  was  reinforced,  and  entrust- 
ed to  the  command  of  general  Hoche,  while  Moreau  retain- 
ed that  of  the  army  of  the  Rhine  and  the  Moselle.  No 
sooner  had  Hoche  assumed  his  command,  than  he  display- 
ed the  characteristic  firmness  of  his  mind,  by  an  act  of  jus- 
tice and  wholesome  severity  i he  cashiered  a great  number 
of  officers,  and  dismissed,  or  arrested,  about  100  commissa- 
ries, for  extortion,  and  dilapidations  of  various  kinds.  In 
Italy  the  greatest  efforts  were  made  to  furnish  the  archduke 
with  a puissant  army,  and  hostilities  had  commenced  be- 
fore Buonaparte  made  peace  with  the  pope.  The  division 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


147 


of  the  Tyrol  had  engaged  the  imperialists  on  the  5th  of 
February,  and  driven  them  from  a post  between  Savero  and 
Besotto ; and  on  the  6th,  general  Murat  had  carried  the 
post  of  Derunbano,  on  the  right  of  the  Adige. 

Some  few  other  skirmishes  between  the  hostile  armies 
were  a prelude  to  more  serious  contests.  General  Guieux 
retook  the  post  of  Treviso  on  the  22d  of  February,  and  gen- 
eral Walther,  who  commanded  the  advanced  guard,  having 
encountered  the  imperialists  in  front  of  Lovadina,  drove 
them  back,  and  pursued  them  to  their  entrenchments  on 
the  Piava.  On  the  23d  general  Murat  made  himself  mas- 
ter of  the  enemy’s  entrenchments  at  Foy,  and  afterwards 
fell  in  with  a corps  of  Tyrolese  chasseurs,  60  of  whom  he 
killed.  General  Beliard,  commanding  the  right  of  general 
Joubert’s  division,  was  attacked  at  Bidola,  but  he  complete- 
ly defeated  the  Austrian  corps.  On  the  2d  of  March, 
agreeable  to  the  orders  and  instructions  of  the  commander 
in  chief  to  general  Joubert,  to  attack  the  enemy  the  moment 
they  should  attempt  to  establish  themselves  on  the  left  bank 
of  the  Lavis,  general  Beliard,  attacked  an  Austrian  detach- 
ment posted  at  Monte-di-Savaro,  while  general  Murat  car- 
ried their  advanced  posts,  and  took  about  100  prisoners. 

Since  the  battle  of  Rivoli  the  army  of  Italy  occupied  the 
banks  of  the  Piava  and  the  Lavisio,  while  the  imperial  army, 
under  prince  Charles,  occupied  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
Piava,  having  its  centre  posted  behind  the  Cordevole,  and 
its  right  supported  by  the  Adige,  on  the  side  of  Salurn. 
On  the  morning  of  the  10th,  the  division  ef  general  Masse- 
na  proceeded  to  Feltri ; and  the  Austrians,  on  his  approach, 
evacuated  the  line  of  Cordevole,  and  marched  to  Bellurn. 
General  Serrurier’s  division  advanced  to  Asolo  on  the  12th : 
at  day- break,  it  crossed  the  Piava,  opposite  the  village  of 
Vidor,  and  having  worsted  an  Austrian  corps  that  attempt- 
ed to  oppose  its  passage,  advanced  rapidly  to  St.  Salvador ; 
but  the  enemy,  having  received  intelligence  of  the  passage 
of  the  river,  and  afraid  of  being  surrounded,  evacuated  their 
camp  of  La  Campana.  General  Guieux  passed  the  Piava 
at  Ospodaletto,  and  arrived  in  the  evening  at  Conegliano. 
The  French  cavalry,  in  the  course  of  the  day,  encountered 
several  times  that  of  the  enemy,  and  had  always  the  advan- 
tage. General  Guieux,  having  arrived  with  his  division  at 
Sacile,  on  the  13th,  fell  on  their  rear  guard,  and  took  1G0 


148 


THE  LIFE  OP 


prisoners.  Meanwhile,  general  Massena’s  division,  having 
reached  Bellum,  pursued  the  imperialists,  who  had  retreated 
towards  Cadore,  and  surrounding  their  rear  guard,  took  700 
prisoners,  among  whom  were  100  hussars,  a colonel,  and 
general  Lusignan,  who  commanded  the  centre  of  the  army, 
which  general  having  disgraced  himself  by  his  conduct  to- 
wards the  French  sick  at  Brescia,  Buonaparte  gave  orders 
to  conduct  him  to  France,  without  the  liberty  of  being  ex- 
changed. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  the  16th,  Guieux’s  division  set 
out  from  Pordenone,  that  of  Bernadotte  left  Sacile,  and 
that  of  Serrurier  proceeded  from  Pasiano,  all  directing  their 
march  to  Valvasone.  General  Guieux’s  division  passed 
beyond  Valvasone,  and  arrived  on  the  banks  of  the  Tag- 
liamento  at  eleven  o’clock  of  the  day.  The  Austrian  ar- 
my was  entrenched  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  the 
passage  of  which,  it  seemed  determined  to  dispute.  Ber- 
nadotte’s  division  having  arrived  at  noon,  Buonaparte  im- 
mediately g^ve  orders  to  general  Guieux  to  proceed  to  the 
left,  in  order  to  cross  the  river  on  the  right  of  the  enemy’s 
entrenchments,  under  the  protection  of  12  peices  of  artil- 
lery, general  Bernadotte  being  directed  to  cross  it  at  the 
same  time  on  the  right.  Both  divisions,  having  formed 
their  battalions  of  grenadiers,  ranged  themselves  in  order  of 
battle,  each  with  a demi- brigade  of  light  infantry  in  their 
front,  supported  by  two  battalions  of  grenadiers,  and  flank- 
ed by  the  cavalry,  the  light  infantry  manoeuvering  as  rifle- 
men. General  Dammartin  on  the  left,  and  general  Lespi- 
nasse  on  the  right,  made  their  artillery  advance,  when  a brisk 
cannonade  commenced  ; upon  which  Buonaparte  gave  or- 
ders for  every  demi-brigade  to  file  off  in  close  column  on 
the  wings  of  their  2d,  1st,  and  3d,  battalions.  General 
Duphot,  atthehead,of  the  27th  light  infantry,  threw  him- 
self into  the  river,  and  presently  gained  the  opposite  bank, 
being  supported  by  general  Bon,  with  the  grenadiers  of 
Guieux’s  division.  General  Murat  made  the  same  move- 
ment on  the  right,  and  was  in  like  manner  supported  by  the 
grenadiers  of  Bernadotte’s  division.  The  whole  line  put 
itself  in  motion,  each  demi-brigade  en  echelons , with  squad- 
rons of  cavalry  placed  at  intervals  in  the  rear.  The  impe- 
rial cavalry  attempted  several  times  to  charge  the  French 
infantry,  but  without  success  : the  river  was  crossed,  and 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


149 


the  enemy  routed  in  every  direction.  As  they  attempted 
to  outline  the  right  of  the  French  with  their  cavalry,  and 
the  left  with  their  infantry,  general  Dugus,  and  adjutant- 
general  Kellerman  were  detached,  at  the  head  of  the  cavalry 
of  reserve,  supported  by  a body  of  infantry,  under  adjutant- 
general  Mireur  ; and  having  worsted  the  Austrian  cavalry, 
took  prisoner  the  general  who  commanded  them.  General 
Guieux  ordered  the  village  of  Grudisca  to  be  attacked,  and 
made  himself  master  of  it,  after  having  completely  defeated 
the  enemy,  and  very  nearly  captured  prince  Charles.  Gen- 
eral Serrurier’s  division,  as  it  arrived,  passed  the  river,  and 
ranged  in  order  of  battle,  to  serve  as  a corps  of  reserve. 
In  this  affair,  the  French  took  six  pieces  of  cannon,  one 
general,  several  superior  officers,  and  four  or  five  hundred 
prisoners.  The  quickness  with  which  they  formed  and 
manoeuvred,  and  the  superiority  of  their  artillery,  so  intim- 
idated the  hostile  army,  that  it  could  not  be  brought  to  make 
a stand,  and  only  strove  to  save  itself  by  flight. 

The  foresight  of  the  directory  had  seconded  every  meas- 
ure calculated  to  render  certain  the  success  of  Buonaparte, 
and  procure  a glorious  peace  to  the  republic.  Entire  di- 
visions had  been  drawn  from  the  armies  on  the  Rhine,  and 
sent  to  Italy  : proceeding  from  the  banks  of  this  river,  thev 
traversed  part  of  the  republic,  and  surmounted,  in  the  most 
rigorous  season,  the  barrier  of  the  Alps,  till  then,  deemed 
impervious,  but  of  which  general  Kellerman,  by  dint  of 
labour  and  vigilance,  and  struggling  against  climate,  the  ele- 
ments, and  the  seasons,  had  succeeded  in  maintaining  the 
free  passage.  This  march,  the  longest  and  the  most  dif- 
ficult ever  effected  on  the  continent  by  an  armed  corps,  du- 
ring the  winter  season,  without  experiencing  any  delay,  and 
without  being  suspected,  or,  perhaps,  believed  by  the  ene- 
my, enabled  them  to  contend  in  Carinthia,  with  the  men 
they  had  so  often  defeated  on  the  other  side  of  the  Rhine. 
These  reinforcements  having  formed  a junction  with  the 
army  of  Italy,  Buonaparte,  who  was  supposed  to  be  still 
before  Rome,  crossed  the  Trajamento,  and  shewed  his 
troops,  from  the  summit  of  the  Noric  Alps,  (a  barrier  which 
no  modern  nation  had  hitherto  passed,)  the  basins  of  the 
Adriatic,  and  of  the  Danube,  in  the  midst  of  which  last, 
Vienna  seemed  to  point  out  to  them  the  termination,  or  the 
object  of  their  exploits.  Scarcely  had  the  campaign  com- 


150 


THE  LIFE  OF 


menced,  and  scarcely,  in  climates  more  favourable,  would 
they  have  thought  of  opening  it,  when  Buonaparte  already 
menaced  the  heart  of  the  states  of  Austria : nature  was 
still  dormant  in  these  black  regions,  now  become  the  theatre 
of  war,  when  the  mountains  of  the  Tyrol,  and  of  Carinthia, 
were  scaled.  Prince  Charles  was  compelled  to  a continued 
and  precipitate  retreat,  very  different  from  that  which  had 
immortalized  general  Moreau,  who  led  back  his  army,  pur- 
sued indeed,  but  always  victorious,  from  the  banks  of  the 
Danube  to  the  borders  of  the  Rhine. 

On  the  18th,  the  division  of  general  Bemadotte  defiled 
by  Palma-nova,  and  took  a position  on  the  Torre  : the  di- 
vision of  general  Serrurier  also  took  a post  on  the  right, 
and  that  of  general  Guieux  on  the  left,  the  citizen  Lasalle 
being  dispatched  with  the  24th  regiment  of  chasseurs  to 
Udina.  The  imperialists,  on  the  approach  of  the  French, 
evacuated  Palma-nova,  where  the  latter  captured,  30,000 
rations  of  bread,  and  a million  of  quintals  of  flour  : it  was 
only  ten  days  since  prince  Charles  had  seized  on  this  place, 
which  belonged  to  the  Venetians  : his  intention  was  to  oc- 
cupy it  as  a military  post,  but  he  had  not  time  to  establish 
himself  there.  General  Massena,  proceeding  by  St.  Dan- 
iel, Asopa,  and  Gemona,  pushed  his  advanced  guard  into  : 
the  defiles.  On  the  19th,  general  Bernadotte  blockaded 
Gradisca,  while  general  Serrurier  advanced  opposite  San- 
Pietro,  for  the  purpose  of  passing  the  Lisonzo,  on  the  other 
side  of  which  the  imperialists  had  several  pieces  of  cannon, 
and  some  battalions,  for  defending  the  passage.  Buona- 
parte ordered  various  manoeuvres  to  be  made,  with  an  in- 
tent to  alarm  the  enemy,  after  which  the  passage  was  effect- 
ed without  opposition. 

General  Serrurier  proceeded  to  Gradisca,  filing  along  the 
highest  peaks  that  command  the  town.  To  make  a diver- 
sion, and  prevent  the  imperialists  from  discovering  this  ma- 
noeuvre, general  Bernadotte  made  the  riflemen  attack  their 
entrenchments  ; but  the  French  soldiers,  impelled  by  their 
natural  ardour,  advanced  with  fixed  bayonets  to  the  walls  of 
Gradisca,  where  they  were  received  by  a very  heavy  dis- 
charge of  musquetry  and  grape-shot.  General  Serrurier 
in  the  mean  time  having  gained  the  heights  commanding 
Gradisca,  rendered  every  means  of  retreat  impossible  to  the 
garrison,  who  were  equally  convinced  of  the  impracticabil* 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


151 


ity  of  defence.  General  Bernadotte  summoned  the  Aus- 
trian commandant  to  surrender  in  ten  minutes,  threatening, 
in  case  of  refusal,  to  put  the  garrison  to  the  sword.  He 
observed  in  his  letter,  that  the  governor  had  defended  the 
town  like  a brave  man,  and  acquired  the  esteem  of  all  mili- 
tary men  by  his  conduct : but  any  further  obstinacy  would 
be  criminal  and  dangerous,  and  the  principles  of  philan- 
thropy, which  ought  to  animate  a soldier,  imposed  on  him 
the  obligation  of  sparing  the  unnecessary  effusion  of  blood  ; 
and  concluded,  with  informing  him,  that  the  scaling  ladders 
Were  prepared,  and  the  grenadiers  and  chasseurs  demand.- 
ing  loudly  the  assault.  The  governor  agreed  to  a capitula- 
tion, by  which  it  was  stipulated,  that,  in  a quarter  of  an 
hour  after  signing  it,  the  garrison  should  march  out  by  the 
gate  Mucama  with  all  the  honours  of  war,  the  officers  re- 
taining their  swords,  and  liberty  granted  them  of  returning 
home,  on  condition  of  not  serving  until  exchanged.  Three 
thousand  prisoners,  the  flower  of  the  army  of  prince  Charles, 
ten  pieces  of  cannon,  and  eight  standards  were  the  fruits  of 
this  operation. 

The  division  of  general  Massena,  having  carried  the  fort 
of  La  Chuisa,  encountered  a body  of  the  imperialists,  who 
attempted  to  dispute  the  passage  of  the  bridge  of  Cassasola. 
His  light  troops  drove  back  those  of  the  enemy,  and,  a 
moment  afterwards,  the  grenadiers  of  the  32d  and  75th 
demi-brigades,  in  close  column,  forced  the  bridge,  and, 
having  beaten  the  imperialists,  notwithstanding  their  en- 
trenchments and  chevaux-de-frise,  pursued  them  as  far  as 
Ponteba,  taking  prisoners  600  men  of  the  regiments  lately 
brought  from  the  Rhine.  All  the  magazines,  which  the 
Austrians  had  on  this  side  of  the  river,  tell  into  the  hands  of 
the  French. 

1 he  capture  of  Gradisca  procured  advantages,  of  which 
the  French  general  hastened  to  profit,  and  he  addressed  a 
proclamation  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  province  of  Goritz, 
with  an  intent  to  prepare  their  minds  for  the  expedition  he 
meditated  across  their  territory. 

On  the  2 1st  of  March  the  French  entered  Goritz,  the 
Austrian  army  having  retreated  with  so  much  precipitation* 
that  they  abandoned  four  hospitals,  containing  1,500  sick* 
and  ail  their  magazines  of  provisions  and  military  stores. 
which  were  accordingly  taken  possession  of  by  the  French 


152 


THE  LIFE  OF 


In  these  magazines  were  680  casks  of  flour,  each  weighing 
three  quintals,  making  in  all  2,040  quintals,  besides  what 
was  furnished  to  the  division  of  Bernadotte.  On  the  same 
day,  this  division  reached  Camiza  ; its  advanced  guard,  and 
the  Austrian  rear  guard  encountered  at  Caminia,  on  which 
occasion  the  19th  regiment  of  chasseurs,  charged  the  enemy 
with  impetuosity,  and  took  prisoners  50  hussars,  with  their 
horses.  General  Massena,  on  his  side,  pursued  the  enemy 
to  Ponteba. 

General  Guieux,  with  his  division,  proceeded,  on  the  22d, 
from  Cividale  to  Caporetto,  where  he  fell  in  with  the  impe- 
rialists, entrenched  at  Pufero,  took  two  pieces  of  cannon, 
and  100  prisoners,  pursuing  the  rest  into  the  defiles  of  Ca- 
poretto, as  far  as  the  Austrian  La  Chinse,  leaving  the  field 
of  battle  covered  with  their  dead.  Meantime,  general  Mas- 
sena approached  Tarvis  with  his  division  ; Buonaparte  had, 
therefore,  reason  to  hope,  that  the  2,000  men,  whom  gener- 
al Guieux  had  pushed  before  him,  would  fall  into  the  hands 
of  the  division  of  Massena.  The  general  of  division,  Du- 
gua,  entered  Trieste  on  the  night  of  the  23d.  The  French 
likewise  took  possession  of  the  celebrated  mines  of  Ydria  ; 
where  they  found  substance  prepared  for  2,000,000,  and 
carried  it  off  in  waggons. 

YVe  have  already  mentioned,  that  a column  of  the  army  of 
prince  Charles,  was  hemmed  in  between  the  division  of  gen- 
eral Massena,  who  was  at  Tarvis,  and  that  of  general  Guieux, 
who,  on  arriving  at  Caporetto,  pushed  this  column  before 
him  into  the  defiles.  General  Massena,  on  his  arrival  at 
Tarvis,  was  attacked  by  an  Austrian  division  from  Clagen- 
furth,  which  had  come  to  the  assistance  of  the  division  that 
was  surrounded  ; but,  after  a conflict  extremely  obstinate, 
he  put  them  to  the  rout,  taking  a vast  number  of  prisoners, 
among  whom  were  three  generals  : the  emperor’s  cuiras- 
siers, who  had  arrived  from  the  Rhine,  suffered  most  severe- 
ly. Meanwhile,  general  Guieux  drove  the  column,  which 
he  had  defeated  at  Pusero,  as  far  as  Austrian  La  Chinse,  a 
post  extremely  well  entrenched,  but  which  was  carried  by 
assault,  alter  a very  obstinate  engagement.  General  Ra- 
bies, in  person,  defended  La  Chinse  with  500  grenadiers. 
By  the  laws  of  war,  these  500  men  ought  to  have  been  put 
to  the  sword,  but  this  barbarous  right  has  always  been  dis- 
claimed, and  never  exercised  by  the  French  army.  The 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


153 


hostile  column,  on  finding  La  Chinse  taken,  hastened  its 
march,  and  fell  into  the  middle  of  the  division  of  general 
Massena,  who  after  a slight  engagement,  made  the  whole  of 
them  prisoners  : 30  pieces  of  cannon,  400  waggons,  carry- 
ing the  baggage  of  the  enemy,  5,000  men,  and  four  gene- 
rals, fell  into  the  hands  of  the  French. 

The  division  of  Massena  had  crossed  the  Italian  Alps, 
and  now  occupied  the  denies  of  the  Noric  Alps.  The  im- 
perialists had  been  so  imprudent  as  to  entangle  in  the  Noric 
Alps  all  their  baggage,  and  part  of  their  army,  which  u'ere 
of  course  taken.  The  battle  at  Tarvis  was  fought  above 
the  clouds,  on  a height  which  commands  an  extensive  view 
of  Germany  ai  d Dalmatia  : in  several  places  to  which  the 
French  line  extended,  the  snow  lay  three  feet  deep  ; and 
the  cavalry,  charging  on  the  ice,  suffered  many  accidents. 

Such  a continuity  of  brilliant  successes  entitled  the  army 
to  every  distinguishing  mark  of  approbation  that  the  gov- 
ernment could  possibly  bestow  : accordingly  the  directory 
wrote  particular  letters  of  thanks  to  each  of  the  generals,  in 
which  they  pointed  out  the  especial  service  which  his  di- 
vision had  rendered  to  its  country  ; the  army  answered 
these  eulogies  by  meriting  new  ones.  General  Buonaparte 
sent  to  Paris  24  standards,  12  of  which  were  taken  from 
the  troops  of  the  emperor,  in  the  late  actions,  and  1 2 from 
the  forces  of  the  pope  : and  the  adjutant- general  Keller- 
man,  who  had  received  an  honourable  wound  in  a charge  of 
cavalry,  at  the  passage  of  the  Tagliamento,  was  appointed 
to  carry  them.  General  Serrurier,  shortly  afterwards  fol- 
lowed him  with  21  Austrian  and  Venetian  standards. 

The  French  column  dispatched  b\  Buonaparte,  to  com- 
pel the  submission  of  the  Tyrol,  and  afterwards  join  him 
on  the  Drave,  fulfilled  their  mission,  and  traversed,  as  con- 
querors, a country,  which  Austria  had  always  regarded  as 
one  ot  the  strongest  bulwarks  of  her  empire.  The  divisions 
of  generals  Joubert,  Baraguey  d’Hilliers,  and  Delmas,  put 
themselves  in  motion  on  the  20th,  and  surrounded  an  Aus- 
trian corps  stationed  on  the  Lavis.  After  a most  obstinate 
engagement,  the  French  took  4,000  prisoners,  three  pieces 
of  cannon,  and  two  standards,  and  killed  nearly  2,000  men, 
the  greater  part  of  whom  were  Tyrolean  chasseurs. 

Meanwhile  the  enemy  had  fallen  back  along  the  right 
bank  of  the  Adige,  and  manifested  a disposition  to  maintain 


154 


THE  LIFE  OF 


themselves  in  this  situation.  Upon  the  22d,  general  Jou- 
bert,  with  the  three  divisions  under  his  command,  proceeded 
to  Salurn.  General  Vial  made  himself  master  of  the  bridge 
of  Neumark,  and  passed  the  river  to  prevent  the  enemy 
from  retreating  to  Botzen.  The  firing  commenced  with 
great  warmth,  and  the  general  of  division,  Dumas,  who 
commanded  the  cavalry,  pushed  into  the  village  of  Tra- 
min,  taking  600  prisoners,  with  two  pieces  of  cannon.  In 
consequence  of  this,  the  wrecks  of  the  Austrian  column, 
under  general  Laudon,  were  prevented  from  reaching  Bot-  j 
zen,  and  obliged  to  wander  in  the  mountains  : Joubert  en- 
tered the  town  of  Botzen,  and,  having  detached  a sufficient 
force  to  follow  general  Laudon,  marched  directly  to  Clau- 
fen.  The  imperialists,  availing  themselves  of  the  means  of 
defence  which  the  country  afforded,  had  made  the  best  dis-  J 
positions  : the  attack  was  warm  and  well  concerted,  and 
the  issue  long  uncertain.  The  light  infantry  clambered  up 
inaccessible  rocks  ; the  11th  and  33d  derni- brigades  of  in- 
fantry of  the  line  in  close  column,  commanded  by  general 
Joubert,  in  person,  surmounted  every  obstacle  ; the  centre 
of  the  imperialists  was  penetrated,  and  obliged  to  give  way, 
after  which  the  rout  became  general : in  this  action,  the 
French  took  1,500  prisoners.  General  Joubert  arrived  at 
Brixen,  still  in  pursuit  of  the  Austrians  ; while  general  Du- 
mas, at  the  head  of  the  cavalry,  killed  several  of  their  dra- 
goons with  his  own  hand,  and  received  two  slight  cuts  of  a 
sabre,  his  aid-de-camp  being  at  the  same  time  dangerously 
wounded.  This  general,  say  the  French,  for  several  min- 
utes,  “ singly  checked  the  progress  of  a squadron  of  the  en-  I 
erny'-s  horse , upon  a bridge  they  attempted  to  pass , and  gave 
time  to  his  troops  to  rejoin  him  /”  At  Brixen,  Botzen, 
and  different  other  places,  the  French  found  magazines  of 
every  kind,  and  among  other  articles,  30,000  quintals  of 
flour  : through  the  whole  of  the  Tyrol,  Carinthia,  and  Car- 
niola,  the  imperialists  left  behind  them  their  hospitals. 

On  penetrating  into  Carinthia,  Buonaparte  published  a 
proclamation  to  the  inhabitants  of  the  province,  purporting 
that  the  French  army  did  not  enter  their  country  for  the 
purpose  of  conquering  it,  or  to  effect  any  change  in  their  re- 
ligion, manners,  or  customs  : they  were  the  friends  of  all 
nations,  and  particularly  of  the  brave  people  of  Germany. 
The  directory  had  sent  general  Clarke  to  Vienna,  as  pleni- 


NAPOLEON  EUONAPARTE.  153 

potentiary,  to  commence  negociations  for  peace  ; but  the 
imperial  court  had  refused  to  hearken  to  them,  and  had  de- 
clared that  it  did  not  acknowledge  the  French  republic. 
General  Clarke  demanded  a passport  to  go  and  speak  to  the 
emperor  himself-;  but  his  ministers  dreaded  that  the  mod- 
eration of  the  propositions,  which  the  general  was  charged 
to  make,  would  influence  his  majesty  to  conclude  a peace. 
“ Thus  these  ministers,”  continued  the  general,  “ corrupt- 
ed by  English  gold,  betrayed  Germany  and  their  prince, 
and  acknowledged  no  other  will,  than  that  of  the  perfidious 
islanders.”  He  knew,  he  said,  “ that  the  inhabitants  of 
Carinthia,  detested  as  much  as  the  French  nation,  both  the 
English,  who  were  the  only  gainers  by  the  war,  and  the 
Austrian  minister,  who  was  sold  to  them.”  He  invited 
them  not  to  join  in  a contest,  repugnant  to  their  sentiments, 
and  to  furnish  what  provisions  the  French  army  might  re-r 
quire  ; declaring  that,  on  his  part,  he  would  protect  their  re- 
ligion, customs,  and  property,  and  not  exact  any  contribu- 
tion. The  imposts,  which  the  inhabitants  had  been  accus- 
tomed to  pay  to  the  emperor,  would  indemnify  them  for  the 
inevitable  losses  attending  the  march  of  the  French  army, 
and  for  what  provisions  they  might  furnish. 

On  the  28th  three  divisions  of  the  army  had  cleared  the 
passages  leading  from  the  Venetian  territory  into  Germany, 
and  encamped  at  Villach,  on  the  banks  of  the  Drave.  Gen- 
eral Massena,  on  the  29th,  put  himself  in  motion  with  his 
division,  and  fell  in  with  the  imperial  army,  at  the  distance 
of  a league  from  Clagenfurth,  when  an  engagement  ensu- 
ed, in  which  the  Austrians  lost  two  pieces  of  cannon,  and 
200  prisoners.  The  same  evening  the  French  entered 
Clagenfurth,  the  capital  of  Higher  and  Lower  Carinthia, 
while  prince  Charles,  and  the  wrecks  of  his  army,  extreme- 
ly disheartened,  were  flying  before  them.  On  the  1st  of 
April  the  French  advanced  guard,  were  between  St.  Veit 
Freisach,  and  the  division  of  general  Bernadotte  reached 
Laubach,  the  capital  of  Carniola.  Buonaparte  sent  the  Po- 
lish general,  Zajouzeck,  at  the  head  of  a body  of  cavalry, 
to  follow  the  valley  of  the  Drave,  and,  after  gaining  Lieifz, 
efiect  his  junction  with  general  Joubert,  at  Brixen. 

Since  the  commencement  of  this  campaign,  prince 
Charles  had  lost  nearly  20,000  men  taken  prisoners,  and 
was  now  entirely  driven  from  the  Venetian  territories  ; from 


156 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  Higher  and  Lower  Carniola,  Carinthia,  the  district  of 
Trieste,  and  the  whole  of  the  Tyrolese.  Near  Villaeh,  the 
French  found  a magazine  of  cast  iron,  cartridges,  and  pow- 
der, and  mines  of  lead,  steel,  iron,  and  copper  ; and,  near 
Clagenfurth,  they  found  manufactories  of  arms  and  cloth. 

Genera!  Joubert  on  the  28th  of  March,  attacked  the  de- 
file of  Inspruck  : the  battalions,  newly  arrived  from  the 
Rhine,  attempted  to  defend  it ; but  after  a short  cannonade, 
Joubert  decided  the  affair,  by  advancing  at  the  head  of  the 
85th  demi-brigade,  in  close  column  by  battalion  ; when  the 
imperialists  were  driven  back,  leaving  1 00  killed,  600  pris- 
oners, two  pieces  of  cannon,  and  all  their  baggage. 

On  the  1st  of  April  the  division  of  general  Massena,  form- 
ing an  advanced  guard,  encountered  the  imperialists  in 
the  defiles  between  Freisach  and  Neumark  : their  rear  guard 
was  driven  from  all  the  positions  it  endeavoured  to  dispute, 
and  pursued  by  the  French  with  so  much  rapidity,  that  the 
archduke  was  obliged  to  bring  back  from  his  principal  line 
of  battle,  eight  battalions  of  grenadiers,  the  same  who  had  ta- 
ken Kelil,  and  who  now  formed  the  hope  of  the  Austrian  army. 
The  2d  light  infantry  who  had  particularly  distinguished 
themselves  since  their  arrival  by  their  courage,  without  re- 
lating their  movement  a single  instant,,  threw  themselves  on 
the  flanks  both  of  right  and  left,  while  genera!  Massena,  in 
order  to  penetrate  the  defile,  formed  in  column  the  grena- 
diers of  the  8tii  and  32d.  The  combat  was  between  the 
flower  of  the  Austrian  army  and  the  veteran  troops  of  the 
army  of  Italy,  and  was  one  of  the  most  furious  that  had 
happened  during  the  war.  The  imperialists  occupied  a 
grand  position,  crowded  w ith  cannon  : but  it  only  protracted 
for  a short  time  the  defeat  of  their  rear  guard  : their  grena- 
diers were  completely  routed,  leaving  the  field  of  battle 
covered  with  their  dead,  and  from  five  to  six  hundred  pris- 
oners. The  A ustrians  defiled  during  the  night,  and  at  day- 
break the  French  entered  Neumark,  their  head -quarters  be- 
ing advanced  the  same  day  to  Freisach.  At  this  place  they 
found  4,000  quintals  of  flour,  and  a great  quantity  ol  bran- 
dy and  oats  ; they  found  about  the  same  quantity  of  stores 
at  Neumark. 

On  the  3d  the  head-quarters  were  removed  to  Scheifling, 
while  the  vanguard  encountered  the  rear  guard  of  the  im- 
perialists in  the  vicinity  of  Hundsmark,  where  the  latter 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


J 57 

wished  to  quarter  for  the  night  : the  2d  light  infantry  still 
formed  the  advanced  guard  of  the  French  ; and,  after  an 
hour’s  fighting,  the  Austrian  rear  guard,  composed  of  four 
regiments  from  the  Rhine,  was  again  put  to  the  rout,  leav- 
ing 600  prisoners,  and  300  dead  on  the  field  of  battle  ; 
this  advanced  guard,  that  evening,  ate  the  bread,  and  drank 
the  brandy  prepared  for  the  Austrian  army  : the  loss  of  the 
French  in  these  two  engagements  was  very  trifling  ; the  on- 
ly officer  killed,  was  the  chief  of  brigade,  Carrere,  a soldier 
of  steady  valour,  and  indefatigable  activity.  After  this,  the 
French  occupied  Kintenfield,  Murau,  and  Judenburg  ; 
the  imperialists  appearing  decided  on  a precipitate  retreat, 
and  resolving  not  to  hazard  any  more  partial  actions. 
Buonaparte  ordered  the  division  of  general  Guieux  to  pur- 
sue that  of  the  Austrian  general  Spork,  who  endeavoured  to 
effect  a junction  by  the  valley  of  the  Muhr,  and  whose  ad- 
vanced guard  had  already  arrived  at  Murau  : but  the  prompt 
arrival  of  the  French  at  Schiefling,  had  rendered  this  junc- 
tion impossible.  From  this  time,  the  Austrians  could  make 
1 no  stand,  except  in  the  mountains  in  the  neighbourhood  of 
j Vienna. 

In  this  city  the  consternation  was,  at  this  time,  extreme, 

' .and  the  most  violent  orders  succeeded  each  other,  with  a ra- 
pidity tending  to  increase  the  alarm.  Many  hastened  to 
withdraw  themselves  from  the  horrors  of  a siege  by  leaving 
the  town  ; and  although  a numerous  class  appeared  ready 
to  rally  round  the  monarch,  and  unite  for  the  defence  of  the 
country,  he  could  not  be  much  encouraged  by  an  attach- 
ment, which  had  cost  so  dearly  to  all  those  noble  volunteers 
of  Vienna,  who  had  laced  the  army  of  Italy,  only  to  meet 
with  death,  or  surrender  prisoners.  In  vain  had  prince 
Charles  appeared  at  the  head  of  the  imperial  armies  : he 
had  been,  perhaps,  still  more  unfortunate,  than  the  generals 
his  predecessors  ; and  every  effect  expected  from  the  influ - 
■ ence  of  his  talents,  or  the  illusion  of  his  dignity,  had  de- 
ceived their  ultimate  hopes. 

During  these  transactions  Buonaparte  transferred  his 
: head-quarters  to  Judenburg,  and  prepared  for  decisive  meas- 
ures, but  on  the  7th,  lieutenant-general  the  count  de  Belle- 
grade,  and  major-general  Morveldt  wrote  him  a letter,  in 
which  they  stated,  that  his  imperial  majesty  had  nothing- 
more  at  heart  than  to  concur  in  re-establishing  the  repose  of 


158 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Europe,  and  terminating  a war  that  desolated  the  two  na- 
tions. In  consequence  of  the  overture  made  by  the  French 
general  to  prince  Charles,  the  emperor  had  now  deputed 
them  to  learn  the  general’s  proposals  on  a subject  of  such 
great  importance.  Agreeably  to  their  conferences  with  him, 
and  persuaded  of  the  earnest  desire,  as  well  as  the  inten- 
tions, of  the  two  powers  to  terminate  as  soon  as  possible, 
this  disastrous  war,  his  royal  highness  desired  a suspension 
of  arms  for  ten  days,  in  order  to  facilitate  the  attainment  of 
so  desirable  an  object. 

Early  in  the  month  of  April,  and  previous  to  the  conclusion 
of  the  armistice  with  Austria,  the  campaign  on  the  Rhine 
had  been  commenced,  general  Iloche  intimated  to  general 
Werneck,  who  commanded  on  the  Lahn,  that  the  verbal  ar- 
mistice between  the  advanced  posts,  was  to  cease,  and  hos- 
tilities to  commence  on  the  16th  ; at  the  same  time,  a sim- 
ilar notice  was  given  by  general  Moreau  to  the  Austrian 


commander  on  the  Upper  Rhine.  Accordingly  a division 
of  the  army  of  the  Sambre  and  Meuse,  crossed  the  river  at 
Bonn  on  the  17th,  whilst  the  troops,  cantoned  between  Dus- 
seldorf  and  the  Sieg,  made  preparations  for  advancing. — 
On  the  morning  of  the  18th  general  Hoche,  in  person,  pass- 
ed the  Rhine  at  Neuwied,  with  the  right  wing,  a corps  of 
the  centre,  and  a division,  commanded  by  general  Watrin, 
Two  days  previous  to  this,  the  imperial  general  had  request- 
ed a continuation  of  the  armistice,  but  the  French  com- 
mander was  obliged  to  follow  his  instructions,  and  com- 
mence the  campaign.  General  Kray,  who  commanded  the 
left  wing  of  the  Austrian  army,  proceeding  on  the  idea  that 
a convention  had  been  agreed  on  in  Cai-inthia,  now  request- 
ed permission  to  send  an  officer,  vested  with  powers,  to 
conclude  an  armistice.  As  a preliminary  condition,  Hoche 
demanded  the  evacuation  of  the  Lahn,  and  the  cession  of 
Ehrenbreitstein  ; but  the  imperial  general  being  of  opinion 
that  the  relative  situation  of  the  two  armies  did  not  author- 
ise the  acceptance  of  these  conditions,  the  conference  was  i 
terminated. 

The  Austrian  left,  stationed  in  this  point,  occupied  an 
excellent  position  in  front -of  the  bridge  of  Neuwied*  hav- 
ing its  right  supported  by  the  village  of  Hotterdorf  and  itr 
left  resting  on  Bendorf.  The  number  and  arrangements  o 
the  redoubts,  and  strength  of  the  entrenchments,  presentee 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


159 


a very  formidable  aspect,  and  did  honour  to  the  veteran  abil- 
ities of  general  Kray.  About  eight  in  the  morning,  the 
imperialists,  began  the  action  with  a lively  cannonade,  but 
the  French  troops  advancing  to  the  attack,  the  infantry,  se- 
conded by  the  lire  of  the  light  artillery,  carried  the  village  and 
whole  line  of  redoubts,  with  fixed  bayonets.  A few  char- 
ges of  cavalry  now  decided  the  battle,  and  the  imperialists, 
being  thrown  into  total  disorder,  were  obliged  to  retreat, 
abandoning  all  the  cannon  of  their  batteries,  several  field 
pieces  and  ammunition  waggons,  besides  the  major  part  of 
their  baggage,  three  or  four  standards, .and  4,000  prisoners. 

General  Lefebvre,  with  the  advanced  guard  and  first  di- 
vision, pushed  forward  to  Montabaur,  while  Grenier,  with 
the  centre,  advanced  to  Dierdorf,  and  Championnet  dislodg- 
ed the  Austrians  from  Ukareth  and  Altenkircnen.  Mean- 
time general  Werneck,  in  consequence  of  Kray’s  defeat, 
was  forced  to  retire  with  his  whole  army,  and  take  a posi- 
tion on  the  Lahn.  General  Ney  marched  rapidly  with  a 
party  of  horse  to  Dierdorf,  where  he  fell  in  with  the  re- 
serve of  the  imperial  army,  and  engaged  them  for  four 
hours,  when  the  main  of  Grenier’s  column  advancing,  the 
imperialists  were  driven  from  their  position,  and  obliged 
to  retreat  with  precipitation,  having  lost  500  infantry  taken 
prisoners,  and  500  cavalry,  taken,  wounded,  or  killed.  On 
the  19th,  Lefebvre  crossed  the  Lahn  at  Limburg,  with  an 
intent  to  proceed  to  Francfort ; and  generals  Ney  and  Soult, 
with  the  advanced  guard,  having  overtaken  the  Austrian 
rear  guard  in  the  defile  of  the  Dille,  in  their  retreat  to 
Wetzlear,  drove  them  frcm  this  post,  with  the  loss  of  300 
men. 

The  Austrian  army  fell  back  with  such  celerity  that  the 
French  infantry  were  unable  to  keep  pace  with  them.  The 
cavalry  of  the  advanced  guard  attacked  the  post  of  Gies- 
sen, and,  after  a short  contest,  the  imperialists  retired  to  that 
of  Steinberg,  which  they  also  abandoned  in  the  night-time. 
On  the  22d  general  Waltrin’s  division  carried  the  Austrian 
camp,  near  Mentz,  and  drove  them  under  the  cannon  of  the 
fortress,  taking  upwards  of  800  prisoners.  General  Le- 
febvre having  crossed  the  Nidda  with  his  division,  com- 
pelled a select  corps  of  imperial  cavalry,  that  occupied  the 
opposite  bank,  to  retire,  and  was  on  the  point  of  entering 
Francfort,  when  he  received  information  from  the  Austrian 


1G0 


THE  LIFE  OF 


general,  that  the  preliminaries  of  peace  were  signed  by  prince 
Charles  and  Buonaparte  : he,  therefore,  consented  to  sus- 
pend the  action,  until  the  return  of  an  officer,  whom  he  in 
stantlv  dispatched  to  general  Hoehe,  who,  at  the  same 
moment,  received  a letter  from  general  Bc  rthier,  intimating 
the  terms  of  the  convention.  After  strengthening  their  posts, 
the  two  commanders  in  chief  agreed  to  a line  of  demarkation 
for  the  armies,  behind  which  they  waited  for  the  ulterior 
orders  of  their  respective  governments. 

The  cabinet  of  Vienna  had  drawn  a reinforcement  of  20 
or  80,000  men  from  the  Rhine,  and  sent  them  to  the  Ital- 
ian frontier.  This  necessarily  weakened  their  Suabian  line, 
and  facilitated  the  operations  of  general  Moreau,  who  again 
effected  the  passage  of  the  river  by  a coup  de  main.  In 
the  night  of  the  19th  a considerable  body  oi  troops  crossed 
over  to  the  right  bank  in  boats,  and  after  a most  obstinate 
struggle,  succeeded  in  re-establishing  the  bridges,  by  means 
of  which  the  rest  of  the  army  passed  the  river,  and  imme- 
diately commenced  offensive  operations.  Several  warm 
engagements  occurred  in  the  course  of  the  day,  but,  at  last, 
the  imperialists  were  completely  defeated,  and  pursued  to 
Offenburg ; and,  in  the  evening,  the  republican  flag  waved 
in  triumph  on  the  bastions  of  that  Kehl,  which  a French 
garrison  had,  the  year  preceding,  defended  against  the  whole 
Austrian  army.  The  Austrians  lost  several  standards,  up- 
wards of  20  pieces  of  cannon,  all  their  camp  equipage,  the 
military  chest,  the  bureau  of  the  staff  of  the  army , and  three 
or  four  thousand  prisoners,  including  the  general  of  their 
artillery,  and  a great  number  of  superior  officers.  The 
French  generals  Duhem,,  Desaix,  Jordis,  Dement,  and 
Regnier,  were  wounded ; and,  from  the  steady  resistance 
made  by  the  imperialists,  the  loss  of  the  republican  army 
was  very  considerable. 

Happily  for  the  countries  threatened  with  becoming  the  the- 
atre of  war,  the  suspension  of  arms,  now  concluded  between 
Austria  and  France,  saved  them  from  a repetition  of  the  ca- 
lamities  they  had  sustained  in  the  preceding  campaign,  and 
promised  to  restore  the  repose  of  the  continent.  Buona- 
parte had  dispatched  a courier  with  the  intelligence,  who  : 
reached  general  Moreau’s  head-quarters  in  the  night  of  the 
21st,  and  from  thence  hastened  along  the  French  line  to 
Friedburg,  the  head-quarters  of  general  Hoehe.  Arrange- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


161 


ments,  similar  to  those  on  the  Lahn,  were  concerted  by  the 
generals  on  the  Upper  Rhine,  a line  of  demarkation  was 
agreed  on,  and  a friendly  intercourse  established  between 
the  two  nations. 


CHAPTER  XL 

If  the  military  efforts  of  France  were  crowned  with  the 
most  unparalleled  success  upon  the  continent,  nothing  had 
ever  equalled  the  misfortunes  that  befel  her  naval  exertions 
upon  the  ocean,  and  even  in  port,  the  ships  of  that  nation^ 
were  not  always  safe  ; for  such  was  the  incredible  temerity 
of  the  English  sailors,  that  they  frequently  attacked  and  cut 
out  vessels  from  under  the  batteries.  Upon  only  one  occasion 
did  the  French  gain  even  a partial  triumph  in  a similarattempt: 
that  part  of  the  coast  of  Devonshire,  which  is  situated  at  the 
mouth  of  the  British  channel,  was,  on  the  22d  of  February, 
thrown  into  consternation  by  the  appearance  of  three  frigates, 
which  entered  the  small  harbour  of  Ilfracombe,  scuttled  some 
merchant  ships,  and  attempted  to  destroy  some  other  vessels 
in  the  harbour.  From  this  place  they  soon  departed,  stand- 
ing across  the  channel  towards  the  side  of  Pembroke  : they 
were  discovered  from  the  heights  above  St.  Bride’s  bay,  and 
were  found  to  consist  of  two  frigates,  and  two  smaller  ves- 
sels, steering  from  the  British  channel  to  turn  St.  David’s 
head ; from  which  they  steered  towards  Fishguard,  and 
came  to  an  anchor  in  a small  bay,  not  far  from  Lanonda’ 
church,  at  which  place  they  hoisted  French  colours,  and  put 
out  their  boats. 

While  the  principal  fleets  of  France  were  confined  within 
their  own  ports,  their  Spanish  allies  were  dreadful  sufferers. 
On  the  14th  of  February,  a memorable  action  took  place  off 
cape  St.  Vincent,  between  a squadron  of  British  ships  of 
war,  under  the  command  of  admiral  sir  John  Jervis,  and  a 
Spanish  fleet  commanded  by  don  Joseph  de  Cordova.  The 
disproportion  between  the  fleets  was  remarkably  great,  that 
under  sir  John  consisting  of  no  more  than  15  sail  of  the  line, 
4 frigates,  a sloop  of  war,  and  a cutter  ; whilst  the  Span- 
ish fleet  consisted  of  27  sail  of  the  line,  and  12  irigates  ; the 
enemy’s  force  amounting  to  more  than  twice  the  metal  of 

21 


162 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  British  admiral.  The  Spanish  fleet  was  perceived  by 
the  Minerva  frigate,  on  the  night  of  the  11th,  carrying  the 
pendant  of  commodore  Nelson,  then  on  his  way  to  join  ad- 
miral Jervis,  and  on  the  13th,  their  proximity  to  the  British 
fleet  was  such,  that  their  signal  guns  were  distinctly  heard. 

Sir  John  Jervis  got  possession  of  four  of  the  enemy’s  ships, 
while  the  van  of  the  British  fleet  continued  to  press  hard  on 
the  Santissima  Trinidada,  and  the  rest  of  the  ships  compos- 
ing the  Spanish  rear  of  the  retreating  fleet ; but  unforeseen 
circumstances  prevented  the  British  admiral  frotn  making 
so  many  captures  as  he  would  otherwise  have  done.  The 
ships  separated  from  the  fleet  in  the  morning,  now  began  to 
approach,  together  with  two  fresh  ships,  which  had  never 
appeared  in  the  action  : the  late  hour,  joined  to  these  cir- 
cumstances, determined  sir  John  to  bring  to,  forming  a 
strong  line  for  the  defence  of  the  prizes,  and  such  of  his  own 
ships  as  were  very  much  disabled.  The  fresh  ships  of  the 
enemy  opened  a terrible  fire  on  the  covering  ships  as  soon 
as  they  came  up,  but  their  rage  was  instantly  spent,  for  they 
sheered  off  in  a short  time,  leaving  the  British  commander 
to  carry  off  his  prizes  without  molestation,  viz.  the  Salvador 
del  Mundo  and  San  Joseph  of  112  guns  each,  and  the  San 
Nicholas  of  84,  with  the  San  Isidro  of  74  guns.  The  San- 
tissima Trinidada  made  her  escape,  but  as  a perfect  wreck, 
having  ceased  her  firing  before  the  action  terminated,  and,  as 
some  have  maintained,  even  struck  her  colours.  The  loss 
of  the  British,  in  this  memorable  action  is  stated  at  300  men 
jailed  and  wounded,  while  the  four  captured  ships  had  lost 
693,  and  it  may  be  presumed,  that  the  loss  of  those  which 
escaped,  was  also  considerable. 

In  the  West  Indies  this  year  was  memorable  for  the  re- 
duction of  Trinidad,  taken  by  the  British  troops  in  the 
month  of  February,  under  the  command  of  that  much  to  be 
lamented  officer,  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie,  who  went  out 
with  a squadron,  commanded  by  rear  admiral  Hervey. 
The  forces  destined  for  this  expedition  were  embarked  on 
the  12th,  at  Fort  Royal,  in  Martinique.  Four  days  after 
the  British  came  in  sight  of  Trinidad,  standing  towards  the 
Gulph  of  Paria.  The  Spanish  squadron  was  perceived  at 
anchor,  in  Shagramus  Bay,  before  four  in  the  afternoon, 
consisting  of  four  sail  of  the  line,  and  one  frigate.  Next 
morning  the  squadron  of  the  enemy  was  discovered  to  be 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


163 


on  fire,  and  all  of  them,  except  one,  were  consumed  to  ash- 
es. This  fortunate  change  of  circumstances  enabled  the 
general  to  turn  his  whole  attention  to  the  attack  of  the  town, 
of  which  he  made  himself  master,  with  little  or  no  opposi- 
tion. A capitulation  was  next  entered  on  by  the  governor, 
and  the  whole  island  surrendered  to  the  king  of  Great 
Britain. 

The  busy  genius  of  Buonaparte,  kept  the  revolution- 
ary spirit  alive  in  the  South,  but  his  were  mere  revolu- 
tions of  power,  not  of  principles.  His  will  called  in  the 
auxiliary  aid  of  his  power,  and  he  determined  the  morality  of 
any  measure  by  the  means  he  had  to  execute  it.  He  had  long 
complained  of  the  Venetian  government,  and  charged  it 
with  favouring  the  Austrians,  as  well  acting  treacherously 
towards  his  troops  ; all  of  which  a few  very  polite  people 
may  allow  to  be  true,  but  others  may  be  apt  to  indulge 
some  doubts,  when  they  see  the  general  take  upon  himself 
the  charter  of  le  Juge  et  le  Bourreau.  “ What  !”  said  the 
general,  in  a letter  to  the  doge,  “ did  you  think  I would 
tamely  suffer  the  massacres  excited  by  the  Venetian  govern- 
ment ? The  blood  of  our  brethren  in  arms,”  continued 
he,  “ shall  be  avenged  ; and  there  is  not  a French  battalion, 
charged  with  this  mission,  which  does  not  feel  three  times 
the  courage  and  strength  necessary  to  punish  you  : the  re- 
public of  Venice  has  returned  the  blackest  perfidy  for  the 
generous  treatment  she  has  received  from  France.”  He 
concluded  with  offering  peace  or  war ; and  informed  his 
Serenity,  that  if  he  did  not  instantly  adopt  the  necessary 
measures  for  dispersing  the  banditti,  as  he  called  the  per- 
sons of  whom  he  complained,  qnd  arrest,  and  deliver  up, 
within  twenty-four  hours,  the  persons,  who,  it  was  said,  had 
assassinated  some  French  soldiers,  war  was  declared. 

Accordingly  the  battalions,  destined  to  inflict  a signal 
vengeance  on  Venice,  began  their  march,  and,  in  a few  days, 
the  whole  terra  firma,  lay  suppliant  at  the  feet  of  the  con- 
queror. The  Veronese  were  punished  with  the  greatest 
severity  : several  thousands  of  armed  peasantry,  who  pre- 
sumed to  contest  the  progress  of  the  French  divisions,  were 
cut  in  pieces,  or  dispersed.  A body  of  Sclavonians,  who 
had  joined  them,  retired  to  a large  building,  or  fort,  in 
which  were  doposited  all  their  powder -waggons  and  am- 
munition. A howitzer  was  pointed  against  the  building, 


164 


THE  LIFE  OF 


which  was  soon  blown  into  the  air,  and  500  Sclavonians  lit- 
erally annihilated  ! After  another  bloody  engagement,  the 
French  detachment  reached  the  walls  of  Verona,  which  im- 
mediately surrendered. 

The  Venetian  government  now  became  humble  and  ab- 
ject : the  doge,  having  assembled  the  senate,  it  was  resol- 
ved that  the  government  should  suspend  all  its  functions, 
and  that  the  republic,  throwing  itself  on  the  mercy  of  France, 
should  accept  a provisional  government  from  the  latter  : it 
was  also  decreed,  that  the  proveditori , and  other  magistrates 
of  whose  conduct  the  French  complained,  should  be  deliv- 
ered up,  in  order  to  be  punished.  On  the  16th  of  May,  a 
body  of  French  troops  took  possession  of  the  city,  after 
which  a municipality  was  formed,  and  every  thing  model- 
led according  to  the  democratic  regime.  The  most  perfect 
liberty  of  the  press  (i.  e.  aright  to  praise  Buonaparte  and 
his  government)  was  established,  the  catholic  religion  re- 
mained unaltered,  and  persons  and  property  continued  un- 
molested : but  the  ships  of  war,  and  the  stores;  in  the  arse- 
nals, were  taken  possession  of  in  the  name  of  the  French 
republic. 

Genoa  was  attacked  upon  much  the  same  grounds  : it 
was  impossible,  that  that  country,  considering  its  vicinity 
to  France,  and  the  presence  of  the  republican  army,  could 
escape  the  influence  of  that  spirit  of  innovation  which  had 
electrified  the  rest  of  Europe.  The  French  government 
pretended,  that  it  had  forborne  to  punish  the  Genoese  no- 
bility for  the  clandestine  aid  they  afforded  to  the  imperial  ar- 
my when  in  their  neighbourhood,  and  for  their  marked  at- 
tention to  the  partisans  of  Austria.  The  greater  part  of  the 
people  of  Genoa  had  imbibed  the  principles  of  democratic-  | 
al  liberty,  and  many  tumults  had  happened  between  them 
and  the  adherents  of  the  old  government.  The  establish- 
ment of  the  Cisalpine  republic  had  rendered  the  disaffect- 
ed more  daring,  while  some  imprudent  acts  of  the  state-in- 
quisitors,  and  the  two  councils,  embroiled  them  with  the 
French  minister,  and  completed  the  revolution.  This  sil- 
ly government,  persuaded  of  its  inability  to  stem  the  tor- 
rent, sent  deputies  to  Buonaparte  at  Montebello,  where  a 
convention  was  concluded  on  the  6th  of  June. 

As  the  British  ministry  were  well  informed  that  the  Irish 
were  making  great  efforts  to  procure  auxiliaries  from 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


165 


France,  and  that  the  Batavian  republic  had  been  making 
formidable  preparations  for  some  naval  expedition,  the 
fleet  under  the  command  of  admiral  Duncan,  had  block- 
aded the  Texel  during  the  greater  part  of  the  summer. 
The  English  admiral  having  left  his  station,  and  proceed- 
ed to  Yarmouth  roads,  for  the  purpose  of  refitting,  ad- 
miral de  Winter,  with  the  Dutch  fleet,  put  to  sea.  Cap- 
tain Trollope,  in  the  Russel  of  74  guns,  with  a small  squad- 
ron under  his  command,  was  left  to  watch  the  motions  of 
the  enemy  ; and  on  the  9th  of  October,  a signal  was  made 
to  admiral  Duncan  off  Yarmouth  roads,  that  the  enemy’s 
fleet  was  at  sea.  The  British  fleet,  consisting  of  sixteen 
sail  of  the  line,  and  three  frigates,  got  under  sail  with  aston- 
ishing rapidity,  and  by  the  afternoon  lost  sight  of  the  land. 
Captain  Trollope’s  small  squadron  was  perceived  on  the 
morning  of  the  1 1th  with  signals  flying,  to  intimate  that  an 
enemy’s  fleet  was  to  leeward.  The  fleet  under  the  com- 
mand of  admiral  de  Winter,  consisted  of  four  ships  of  74 
guns,  five  of  68,  two  of  64,  four  of  56,  and  two  of  44  guns. 
Admiral  Duncan  gave  the  signal  for  engaging,  and  was 
obeyed  with  the  utmost  alacrity,  vice-admiral  Onslow,  in 
the  Monarch,  bearing  down  upon  the  rear  of  the  enemy, 
whose  gallant  example  was  followed  by  every  ship  of  his 
division.  Before  one  o’clock  the  battle  commenced,  when 
the  whole  British  fleet  broke  the  line  of  the  enemy,  and 
made  it  impracticable  for  them  to  reach  the  Texel,  the  land 
being  about  seven  miles  distant.  Admiral  Onslow,  with 
the  larboard  division  of  the  British  fleet,  engaged  the  rear  of 
the  Dutch,  while  the  commander  in  chief  directed  ali  his 
strength  against  their  van  ; the  Venerable,  in  which  he 
himself  sailed,  having  been  incessantly  engaged  almost  two 
hours  and  a half.  Although  all  the  masts  of  de  Winter’s 
own  ship  went  by  the  board,  he  fought  for  some  time  after 
like  a true  son  of  Mars,  and  only  struck  his  colours  when 
overpowered  by  numbers  : it  is  said  that  not  a single  officer 
was  left  upon  the  quarter-deck  of  the  Dutch  flag-ship,  but 
the  admiral  himself,  the  whole  of  them  being  either  killed 
or  wounded.  The  vice-admiral’s  ship  lost  all  her  masts 
about  the  same  time,  and  accordingly  struck  to  admiral 
Onslow’s  division.  Before  three  o’clock  more  of  the  ene- 
my’s fleet  surrendered ; but  as  admiral  Duncan  found  him- 
self in  only  nine  fathom  water,  and  no  more  than  five  miles 


166 


THE  LIFE  OF 


from  the  land,  he  was  wholly  taken  up  in  getting  the  disa- 
bled ships  off  the  shore,  and  could  not  ascertain  the  number 
of  prizes ; and  as  the  wind  blew  strong  on  the  land,  the 
fleet  was  scattered,  and  some  of  the  Dutch  ships  that  had 
formerly  struck,  were,  on  that  account,  enabled  to  effect 
their  escape.  The  prizes  consisted  of  eight  ships  of  the 
line,  two  of  56  guns,  and  one  of  44  : the  Delft  of  56  guns 
foundered  in  sight  of  the  British  coast,  and  a frigate  also 
was  lost.  It  has  been  admitted  on  all  hands,  that  a more 
sanguinary  battle  was  never  fought ; for  in  nine  ships  of 
admiral  Duncan’s  fleet,  the  killed  and  wounded  exceeded 
700,  and  the  loss  sustained  by  the  cold,  but  intrepid  Dutch, 
must  have  been  very  severe.  The  flag  ships  of  the  enemy 
lost  not  less  than  250  men  each  ; and  it  has  been  maintained 
that  not  a single  ship  among  the  number  of  the  prizes,  lost 
less  than  100  men.  The  battle  was  fought  so  near  the 
shore  that  thousands  of  spectators  beheld  the  whole  of  it 
from  first  to  last,  without  having  it  in  their  power  to  grant 
the  smallest  relief. 

The  gallantry  of  admiral  Duncan  on  this  occasion  is  just- 
ly entitled  to  applause  ; but  no  part  of  his  conduct  is  more 
deserving  of  commendation  than  his  getting  between  the 
enemy  and  a lee-shore,  or,  in  more  intelligible  language, 
between  them  and  the  land.  This  was  a manoeuvre  which 
none  who  went  before  him,  had  ever  attempted,  in  circum- 
stances so  manifestly  critical.  Had  he  not  accomplished 
this  object  there  is  no  reason  to  believe  that  he  would  have 
been  victorious,  even  after  rear-admiral  Story  had,  most  ig- 
jiominiously,  deserted  the  gallant  de  Winter  : it  will  at  the 
same  time  be  recorded  to  the  honour  of  admiral  Duncan, 
that  the  exquisite  judgment  he  discovered  in  freeing  himself 
from  his  critical  situation,  was  at  least  equal  to  the  bold  and 
intrepid  spirit  which  could  hazard  such  an  experiment. 
When  he  returned  home  he  was  created  baron  Duncan,  of 
Lundie,  in  the  county  of  Perth,  and  viscount  Duncan  of 
Camperdown,  from  the  place  on  the  coast  ol  Holland,  off 
which  his  lordship  gained  the  memorable  victory.  This 
glorious  victory  was  of  so  much  value  to  the  British  nation 
that  every  heart  rejoiced  when  the  news  arrived  ; a general  j 
and  most  brilliant  illumination  took  place  throughout  the 
kingdom,  and  a day  of  solemn  thanksgiving  was  appoint  d, 
when  the  king,  accompanied  by  the  public  authorities,  went 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


167 


in  state  to  St.  Paul’s  cathedral : the  procession  was  attend- 
ed by  three  waggons,  bearing  flags,  that  had  been  taken 
from  the  French,  Spaniards,  and  Dutch,  during  the  war, 
and  these  were  severally  borne  to  the  altar  by  a flag-officer, 
who  had  been  present  when  they  were  taken.  A great 
number  of  officers  and  seamen  attended  upon  the  occasion, 
and  all  ranks  were  sensible  of  the  obligation  they  were  under 
to  the  defenders  of  their  country. 

When  Buonaparte  had  crowned  his  glorious  struggles  in 
Italy  by  an  advantageous  peace,  his  presence  was  no  longer 
required  there  and  he  returned  to  Paris.  On  his  arrival  in 
the  capital  he  was  greeted  by  the  congratulations  of  every 
description  of  persons,  in  a manner  the  most  flattering. 
Poets,  painters,  and  sculptors,  high  and  low,  whether  learn- 
ed or  ignorant,  pious  or  profane,  all  exercised  their  ingenu- 
ity to  display  some  excellent  feature,  either  of  the  person  or 
the  mind  of  this  extraordinary  hero,  and  among  the  various 
conceits  that  the  lively  imagination  of  his  admirers  hit  upon, 
some  even  laid  claim  to  the  quality  of  oracular  prophe- 
cies. The  following  anagram,  arising  out  of  the  French 
revolution,  expressed  by  the  French  words  revolution  Fran- 
caise,  was  considered  so  perfectly  of  this  kind,  that  it  ser- 
ved to  elevate  our  adventurer  astonishingly  in  the  estima- 
tion of  a weak  and  credulous  people  : it  was  thought  a 
strong  symptom  of  infidelity  to  doubt  its  being  a divine 
discovery,  that,  by  cutting  off  the  word  veto , which  being 
exercised  by  the  king,  had  led  on  this  terrible  revolution, 
the  remaining  letters  pointed  to  Buonaparte,  as  putting  the 
last  hand  to  it,  tin  Corse  la Jinara — “a  Corsican  will  ter- 
minate it.”  The  discovery  is  certainly  ingenious  : but, 
perhaps,  in  a land  of  free-thinking,  one  may  venture  to  sug- 
gest, that  a very  small  portion  of  divine  criticism  would 
have  discovered  in  this  oracle  a trifling  deviation  from  truth, 
which  leaves  it  little  above  the  production  of  a finite  and 
unlettered  mind.  The  c with  the  cedilla  in  Francaise,  is 
not  the  c in  corse,  one  taking  the  sound  of  s,  the  other  of  k. 
It  is  no  matter  ; the  French  have  too  much  good-nature 
and  politeness  to  observe  niceties  of  this  sort  ; the  general 
was  in  fashion,  and  who  would  be  so  rude  as  to  tell  the 
beaumonde , that  it  was  mistaken  ! Buonaparte  had  done 
much  for  the  country  ; and  whoever  they  were  that  might 


168 


THE  LIFE  OF 


have  grounds  of  complaint  against  him,  he  had  a strong 
claim  to  the  gratitude  of  the  French. 

The  manners  of  the  general  were  precisely  calculated  to 
goin  him  the  most  useful  sort  of  popularity.  Ardently 
courted  by  all  the  parties,  he  could  easily  select  the  most 
suitable  confidants : these  he  chose  on  account  of  their 
prudence  and  policy,  rather  than  for  the  violence  of  their 
sentiments.  It  is  not  true  that  the  general  was  a jacobin, 
or  that  he  shewed  any  attachment  to  persons  of  that  turbu- 
lent sect.  Whether  his  name  was  ever  enrolled  among  the 
members  of  that  club  is  very  doubtful,  and  if  it  was,  it  was 
only  in  that  careless  kind  of  way,  whereby  some  persons 
in  this  country  became  Free  Masons  and  Odd  Fellows, 
without  taking  any  interest  in  such  societies.  The  nearest 
character  to  that  assumed  by  Buonaparte  at  the  time  of  his 
arrival  in  Paris,  in  1797,  is  that  of  the  gentlemen  democrats 
in  England,  who,  carrying  their  views  no  further  than  the 
overthrow  of  the  existing  government,  do  not  condescend 
to  explain  themselves  to,  or  to  mix  with,  their  inferior  breth- 
ren, any  more  than  is  necessary  to  keep  them  in  good  hu- 
mour, in  order  to  preserve  them  as  tools,  to  be  used  as  cir- 
cumstances may  require  their  services. 

This  temporizing  policy  on  the  part  of  Buonaparte  was 
rather  advantageous  to  France  than  otherwise:  for,  while  he 
declined  taking  any  measures  offensive  to  either  of  the  fac- 
tions, they  were  each  kept  quiet  from  a fear  of  making  him  j 
an  enemy  by  any  premature  effort.  He  would,  however,  » 
have  gained  very  little  influence  over  the  public  mind,  if  his 
character  or  conduct  had  been  anything  like  what  it  has  been  I 
depicted  in  those  unprincipled  fabrications  published  to  the  j 
world,  under  the  titles  of  “Revolutionary  Lives,  Se-  | 
crets  of  Cabinets,”  &c.  The  respect  he  acquired, 
arose  out  of  the  punctuality  with  which  he  attended  to  all  I 
his  private  as  well  as  public  duties,  and  which  rendered  a j 
reproof  from  him  of  so  much  weight,  that  every  conspicu- 
ous person  became  habicually  desirous  of  avoiding  it.  i 
Those  who  think  they  can  promote  the  interests  of  virtue  If 
and  humanity  by  the  propagation  of  groundless  calumnies  I 
have  formed  a very  wrong  notion  of  mankind  : it  is  a mis- 
fortune for  the  English,  that  the  French  nation,  with  this  l| 
great  chieftain  at  their  head,  are  their  enemies,  and  certainly,  j't 
as  it  relates  to  commerce,  unjustly  and  imprudently  so ; but,  J 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  169 

before  any  Englishman  complains  of  this  improper  enmity, 
let  him  ask  himself  what  friendship  can  be  held  with  a peo- 
ple who  pretend  to  publish  the  secrets  of  the  closet  and 
the  bed-chamber,  for  the  avowed  purpose  of  displaying  the 
secret  vices  of  a xvhole  family,  which  common  observation 
could  not  have  discerned. 

Buonaparte,  as  well  as  his  family  in  general,  have  more 
good  qualities  than  bad  ones,  and  their  bad  ones  are  infi- 
nitely less  vicious  than  those  of  some  families  equally  con- 
spicuous, from  whom  much  better  things  might  have  been 
expected  : it  is  true,  that  the  conduct  of  the  general  had 
little  of  that  ceremonious  politeness  in  it  which  is  so  highly 
prized  by  the  admirers  of  the  old  courts,  and  the  frankness 
of  his  manners  often  led  him  to  censure  persons  less  atten- 
tive to  their  duties  than  he  was  to  his  own,  which  lax 
characters  construed  into  rudeness.  The  prircipal  differ- 
ence between  Buonaparte  and  his  calumniators,  is,  that  he 
bluntly  declares  his  opinion  without  regard  to  consequences, 
whereas  they  never  speak  what  they  think,  till  they  have 
looked  round  to  see  how  their  opinions  will  be  approved 
by  the  persons  to  whose  judgments  they  have  surrendered 
their  own.  No  persons  were  more  sincere  in  their  devotion 
to  the  general  than  the  men  of  science  and  literature : his 
victories  had  enriched  the  museum  of  Paris,  with  the  prin- 
cipal curiosities  of  the  ancient  and  modern  world,  and  that 
capital  had  now  become  the  emporium  of  all  that  was  rare 
and  valuable  in  the  world  of  taste  and  science. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival,  the  general  was  presented  with 
a long  list  of  the  Chefs’  d’oeuvres,  and  celebrated  curiosi- 
. ties,  which  the  victories  of  the  republican  armies  have  pro- 
cured to  France. 

Whilst  the  directory  carried  on  a vexatious  contest  with 
:he  English  government,  it  entered  upon  one  equally  unjust 
>n  the  continent.  The  design  of  interfering  in  the  affairs 
)f  all  other  governments,  had  been  evinced  by  the  directo- 
y,  as  strongly  as  by  Buonaparte,  in  the  case  of  St.  Mari- 
; 10  ; but  the  government  of  Switzerland  had,  hitherto,  re- 
ected  any  kind  of  assistance,  and  sturdily  resolved  to  re- 
nain  independent,  as  well  of  friends  as  of  foes.  The  sub- 
ugation  of  that  country  had  been  long  premeditated  by  the 
xecutive  directory,  and  the  period  of  its  accomplishment 
as  only  protracted  by  the  influence  of  Carnot  and  Bar- 

90 


170 


THE  LIFE  OF 


thelemy,  which  was  a principal  reason  why  those  members 
were  marked  out  for  banishment.  To  subvert  the  govern- 
ment of  Switzerland,  was  a direct  violation  of  the  treaty  of 
1792;  but  an  insurrection  in  the  Pays-de-Vaud,  was  raised, 
by  French  principles  and  French  bribery,  to  justify  entering 
the  country  with  an  armed  force,  under  pretence  of  aiding 
the  people  to  obtain  their  freedom,  and  purify  their  govern- 
ment. General  Schauenburg,  at  the  head  of  15,000  men, 
was  commanded  to  march  towards  that  country,  with  a view 
to  support  the  claims  of  the  petitioners  in  the  Pays-de-Vaud 
at  the  point  of  the  bayonet.  A proclamation  was  issued 
by  the  supreme  council  of  Berne,  requesting  the  people  of 
the  Pays-de-Vaud  to  assemble,  in  arms,  to  repeat  a fresh 
their  oath  of  allegiance,  to  accomplish,  without  loss  of  time, 
a radical  reform  of  the  government,  and  not  only  to  con- 
tend for  their  ancient  rights,  but  labour  for  their  re-estab- 
lishment  to  the  utmost  of  their  power.  As  the  claims  of 
the  insurgents  were  not  promptly  attended  to,  a serious  in- 
surrection was  the  immediate  consequence.  The  insur- 
gents got  possession  of  the  fort  of  Chillon,  and  disturbances 
equally  serious,  appeared  in  the  southern  districts  : it  now 
seemed  necessary  to  the  government  of  Berne,  to  bring  the 
insurgents  to  a sense  of  their  duty  by  force  of  arms,  for 
which  purpose  general  Weiss  was  sent  against  them,  at  the 
head  of  20,000  men.  Whether  the  tardy  movements  of 
this  general  resulted  from  design  or  not,  we  pretend  not  to 
determine,  yet,  certain  it  is,  that  they  served  to  confirm  the 
disaffected  in  their  resolutions  of  perseverance ; and  the 
arrival  of  the  French  general,  at  this  critical  juncture,  de- 
cided  the  fate  of  the  country.  The  French  general  had  no 
sooner  passed  the  boundaries,  than  he  sent  an  officer  to  the 
Swiss  commanders,  accompanied  by  two  hussars,  to  Yver- 
dun,  but,  on  his  return,  one  of  the  hussars  was  killed  at 
Thiriens.  While  we  are  incapable  of  determining  who 
were  the  aggressors,  it  is  certain,  that  Schauenburg  con- 
sidered this  as  tantamount  to  a declaration  of  war,  and,  ac- 
cordingly, his  troops  immediately  marched  forward,  while 
those  of  general  Weiss  commenced  a retreat,  which  placet 
the  whole  Pays-de-Vaud  in  the  hands  of  the  French  during 
the  month  of  February.  Still,  however,  the  govermnen 
of  Berne  entertained  some  hopes  of  averting  the  impending 
destruction ; and,  in  order  to  accomplish  this  importan 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


171 


object,  they  delivered  up  the  centinels,  by  whom  the  hussar 
l ad  been  killed,  and  entered  into  fresh  negociations.  But 
it  now  appeared  impossible  to  prevent  a war  with  France, 
although  the  government  did  every  thing  in  its  power  to 
rouse  the  people  to  contribute  their  assistance : it  was  enact- 
ed that  fifty-two  deputies  should  be  added  to  the  council, 
and  these  selected  from  the  chief  towns  and  communes, 
who  proposed  a radical  reform  of  abuses  in  the  existing 
government ; which  laudable  example  was  imitated  by 
Fribourg,  Lucerne,  Soleure,  Zurich,  and  Schauffhausen. 
In  this  delicate  situation  of  affairs,  they  continued  to  nego- 
ciate  with  the  executive  directory  of  France,  but,  at  the 
same  time,  continued  a force  of  20,000  men,  under  the 
command  of  a general  d’Erlach,  the  rest  of  the  cantons  of 
Switzerland  contributing  to  the  general  defence  ; and  fur- 
nishing about  5,500  men.  An  armistice  was  concluded 
with  Schauenburg  in  the  Pays-de-Vaud,  when  general 
Brune  advanced  to  his  assistance,  and  fresh  troops  from 
France  entered  Switzerland.  The  truce  was  to  have  ex- 
pired on  the  1st  of  March,  but  general  d’Erlach  demanded, 
in  a peremptory  manner,  that  his  troops  should  be  put  in 
motion  on  the  26th  of  February,  being  extremely  appre- 
hensive that  their  ardour  would  cool.  This  order  was  in- 
stantly complied  with  by  a decree  of  the  council,  and  the 
different  posts  were  informed  that  hostilities  would  com- 
mence on  the  1st  of  March. 

On  the  2d  of  March,  1798,  the  castle  of  Dornach,  sit- 
uated on  the  northern  extremity  of  the  canton  of  Soleure, 
four  miles  and  a half  south  of  Basle,  was  attacked  and  car- 
ried by  the  republicans,  when  13.000  men  proceeded  to  the 
very  walls  of  that  town,  which,  at  the  first  summons,  sur- 
rendered to  general  Schauenburg.  The  fate  of  Fribourg 
soon  followed,  submitting  to  the  authority  of  general  Brune, 
when  the  army  of  Switzerland  was  under  the  necessity  of 
retreating.  The  rapid  advances  of  the  French  army  were 
powerfully  seconded  by  a spirit  of  disaffection  too  apparent 
in  the  army  of  general  d’Erlach,  and  a proclamation  was 
made  by  the  council  of  Berne,  that  the  levy  of  the  lands- 
thurm  (rising  in  a mass)  was  ready  for  action ; but  it  was 
a measure  which,  in  Switzerland,  was  productive  of  perni- 
cious effects.  When  possessed  of  arms  the  people  soon 
effected  the  dissolution  of  their  own  government,  establish- 


172 


THE  LIFE  OF 


eel  a pro  tempore  regency,  signified  their  proceedings  to 
general  Brnne,  and  ordered  the  army  to  be  dismissed,  on 
co  dition  that  the  French  troops  would  not  advance  bevond 
their  present  positions.  These  concessions,  however,  did 
not  meet  the  views  of  the  republican  commander  ; for  he 
demanded  that  the  town  should  be  garrisoned  by  the  soldiers 
of  France.  An  alarming  mutiny  broke  out  in  the  army  of 
Switzerland,  the  left  wing  of  which  put  to  death  a number 
of  their  officers,  who  were  unfriendly  to  their  views  : it 
appears,  from  authentic  documents,  that  no  fewer  than 
J 1,500  men  had  abandoned  this  army.  About  8,000  of  the 
regular  troops  were  stationed  at  Neweneg,  while  6,400 
maintained  their  station  at  Frauenbron,  to  carry  which, 
general  Schauenburg  marched  from  Soleure  with  18,000 
men.  Both  these  posts  were  attacked  by  the  French  on 
the  5th  of  March,  in  the  morning,  when  the  glorious  re- 
sistance of  the  Swiss  troops  stationed  at  Neweneg,  seemed 
to  portend  a future  victory  ; but  those  who  were  posted  at 
Frauenbron,  were  under  the  necessity  of  retreating.  Gen- 
eral d’Erlach  succeeded  in  rallying  his  troops  at  Uteren, 
four  miles  and  a half  south  of  Frauenbron,  when  a second 
action  took  place,  but  it  likewise  terminated  in  favour  of  the 
republicans.  The  Swiss  again  attempted  to  face  the  enemy 
at  Grauholtz,  about  five  miles  north-east  of  Berne,  but  were 
driven  back  to  the  very  gates  of  the  metropolis,  and,  after 
a sanguinary  conflict,  were  totally  defeated.  In  this  engage- 
ment the  Swiss  are  computed  to  have  lost  2,000  men  killed 
and  wounded,  and  the  French  not  less  than  1.800. 

The  city  of  Berne  capitulated  to  general  Brune,  and  he 
entered  it  in  triumph  on  the  evening  of  the  5th.  The  Swiss 
troops  at  Neweneg  and  Guminen,  were  forced  to  retreat; 
the  soldiers,  at  the  last  of  which  places,  put  their  officers  to 
death,  in  a fit  of  despair,  and  the  unfortunate  general  d’Er- 
lach was  murdered  by  his  own  soldiers,  in  attempting  to 
escape  from  the  field  of  battle.  The  conquest  of  Berne  was 
the  prelude  to  the  surrender  of  almost  the  whole  of  Swit- 
zerland, though  many  parts  of  that  free  country  appeared 
determined  to  resist  the  invaders  to  the  last  extremity  : they 
defeated  general  Schauenburg  with  the  prodigious  loss  of 
3,000  men,  after  he  had  given  his  assent  to  a treaty,  obli- 
ging himself  not  to  take  possession  of  the  smaller  cantons,, 
it  was  not  to  be  expected  that  the  independent  spirit  of  a 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


173 


few  towns  could  long  resist  the  power  of  large  and  victori- 
ous armies.  The  French  generals  proclaimed  a new  form 
of  government,  suited  to  their  own  taste  : and,  by  means 
of  laying  heavy  contributions,  and  quartering  troops  upon 
the  inhabitants,  goaded  them  into  submission  to  the  new 
system,  which  was  styled  “ The  Helvetic  republic .” 

Possessed  as  the  French  government  now  was  of  a pro- 
digious army,  at  perfect  leisure,  it  found  little  difficulty  in 
giving  a very  strong  appearance  of  sincerity  to  its  threats  of 
invading  the  British  dominions  ; yet  it  seemed  anxious  to 
distract  the  councils  of  its  enemy  as  to  its  ultimate  designs. 
Buonaparte,  who  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  that 
immense  body  of  forces,  called  “ The  army  of  England,” 
was  sent  to  Radstadt  as  the  French  plenipotentiary  to  the 
congress,  which  seemed  to  place  the  object  of  the  expedi- 
tion, whatever  it  might  be,  at  a great  distance  of  time  ; the 
English  government,  however,  who  never  took  much  pains 
to  be  very  correct  in  its  information,  thought  it  made  a very 
shrewd  discovery,  when  it  traced  its  destination  to  Ireland  ; 
and  several  circumstances  occurred  to  strengthen  the  opin- 
ion. Buonaparte  only  continued  at  Radstadt  just  long 
enough  to  find  fault  with  some  of  the  members,  and  some 
of  the  proceedings  of  the  congress,  when  he  returned  to 
Paris  ; this  was  a proof  that  he  was  ready  to  go  to  Ireland, 
especially  as  about  the  same  time  several  persons,  connect- 
ed with  the  disaffected  society  of  United  Irishmen,  were 
detected  in  driving  a cart  along  the  sea-beach,  upon  the' 
coast  of  Kent,  with  a design  to  engage  the  first  boat  they 
could  hire  to  take  them  over  to  France,  in  order  to  present 
a paper  to  the  directory,  inviting  it  to  send  an  army  over  to 
help  a club  of  spouters  in  London  to  overturn  the  govern- 
ment ! 

But  if  the  English  government  augured  too  much  in  in- 
ferring the  destination  of  Buonaparte’s  expedition,  it  was 
not  incorrect  in  its  opinion,  that  Ireland  was  in  extreme 
danger  : its  own  barbarous  conduct  coming  in  collision 
with  the  barbarous  manners  and  superstition  of  the  people, 
had  created  such  an  inextinguishable  hatred  between  the 
partizans  of  the  government,  and  the  United  Irishmen,  that 
could  only  be  subdued  in  a torrent  of  bloodshed. 

The  United  Irish  became  so  impatient,  in  Dublin,  to 
put  their  plans  in  execution,  that  some  of  their  most  fu- 


174 


THE  LIFE  OF 


rious  leaders  recommended  an  instant  rising.  The  situa*- 
tion  of  the  Irish  government  became  every  day  more  criti- 
cal, as  they  could  neither  be  certain  where  the  blow  was  to 
be  aimed,  nor  what  means  should  be  employed  in  order  to 
render  it  ineffectual : but  the  mysterious  designs  and  ex- 
tended views  of  their  leaders,  were  gradually  unfolded  by 
the  seizure  of  papers,  and  by  secret  information,  and  de- 
fensive measures  were,  accordingly  adopted. 

The  editors  of  the  London  newspapers,  with  that  con- 
sciencious  regard  to  truth,  which  marks  all  their  loyal  ef- 
fusions, entered  into  all  the  minutiae  of  a vast  and  compli- 
cated plot,  which,  they  assured  the  public,  would  have 
broken  out  within  a few  hours,  had  not  the  timely  inter- 
ference of  their  all-wise  government  prevented  it.  These 
general  declarations  were,  indeed,  soon  obscured  by  the 
superior  light  of  The  Times  ! for  that  journal  told  the  pub- 
lic, that  Manchester  was  only  the  centre  of  the  conspiracy, 
and  that  it  was  connected  with  all  the  principal  towns.  An 
agreement,  it  was  said,  had  been  entered  into  by  the  con- 
spirators of  Manchester  and  London,  to  set  fire  to  the  me- 
tropolis in  different  places,  and  reduce  it  to  ruins  in  a few 
hours.  Plans  were  discovered  for  cutting  off  the  water- 
works, and  weapons  were  found  on  the  margin  of  the 
Thames  : in  fact,  it  would  be  endless  to  relate  the  false- 
hoods, contrived  by  the  London  newspapers,  to  procure 
the  unjust  imprisonment  of  their  fellow  countrymen  ; and 
it  would  be  impossible  to  animadvert  with  sufficient  sever- 
ity upon  the  depravity  of  a public,  who  could  give  credit 
to  such  fabrications,  without  evidence  ; yet,  such  was  the 
effect  of  those  alarming  fables,  that  the  ministry  were  ena- 
bled to  enter  the  house  of  every  man  who  denounced  their 
corrupt  government,  and  lock  him  up  quiet  in  a cell,  upon 
a false  charge  of  high  treason. 

It  was  about  this  period  that  the  English  ministers,  and 
the  English  newspapers,  began  to  make  Buonaparte  per- 
sonally of  consequence,  by  opening  upon  him  their  batte- 
ries of  personal  abuse  ; and  it  may  be  of  some  use  to  the 
English  people  to  recollect,  that  the  same  Pittites,  and  the 
same  press,  which  opened  the  volume  of  abuse  against  the 
general,  contrived  also  calumnies  enough  to  justify  the 
arrest  of  forty  or  fifty  innocent  men,  for  the  gratification  of 
mere  private  revenge.  The  pretence  offered  by  the  minis  - 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


175 


ters  for  arresting  so  many  of  the  feeble  inhabitants  of  Lon- 
don was,  that  they  met  secretly  to  learn  the  use  of  arms, 
and  were  in  possession  of  dangerous  weapons,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  aiding  the  enemy,  in  case  he  should  attempt  to  in- 
vade the  kingdom.  Upon  this  charge,  of  which  there  was 
not  the  slightest  evidence,  unless  it  were  against  a few  per- 
sons whom  the  government  immediately  discharged,  did 
the  pious,  the  humane,  the  honourable  men,  who  compose 
the  British  legislature,  suspend  the  only  law  which  gives 
England  any  advantage  over  the  most  despotic  country,  and 
consign  a great  number  of  innocent  men  to  the  tortures  of 
a secret  prison. 

France  had  long  looked  with  envy  upon  the  territorial 
and  commercial  greatness  of  Britain  in  the  East  Indies,  and 
every  species  of  intrigue  had  been  employed,  as  well  by 
the  new  government  as  the  old,  to  entangle  that  country  in 
perpetual  hostilities  with  the  native  governments : it  was 
favourable  to  these  views,  that  Iiyder  Ally,  an  intrepid  sol- 
dier, who  had  usurped  the  throne  and  territory  of  Mysore, 
entertained  a similar  hatred  to  the  English,  owing  to  the 
obstacles  which  their  power  and  resources  opposed  to  his 
enterprising  schemes.  A close  alliance  between  the  gov- 
ernments of  France  and  Mysore,  obliged  the  English  to 
be  constantly  on  the  alert  in  the  East  Indies  ; and,  though 
the  British  arms  were  triumphant  in  every  contest,  the  dan- 
ger increased  with  the  progress  of  time,  inasmuch  as  the 
French  officers  and  engineers  instructed  their  allies  in  all  the 
mysteries  of  European  tactics. 

On  the  death  of  Hyder,  his  son  and  successor,  Tippoo 
Saib,  evinced  the  same  dislike  and  attachment,  and,  being 
severely  beaten  by  the  English,  just  previous  to  the  war  that 
took  place  with  the  republic,  he  hailed  that  event  as  likely 
to  afford  him  an  opportunity  of  gratifying  his  resentment ; 
their  mutual  convenience  drew  the  two  powers  into  close 
correspondence  with  each  other,  and  the  army  of  the  Sul- 
tan became  officered  by  Frenchmen.  No  doubts  were  en- 
tertained in  England  as  to  the  designs  of  Tippoo,  but,  occu- 
pied as  France  was,  during  her  struggle  with  the  combined 
powers  of  Europe,  it  was  known  that  she  could  spare  no 
effectual  force  to  co-operate  with  him.  When  the  conti- 
nental war  had  ceased,  this  difficulty  was  removed  ; but 
there  was  another,  which  seemed  equally  insurmountable. 


176 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  this  was  discovered  in  the  superiority  of  the  British 
navy,  that  now  rode  triumphant  in  every  sea. 

Notwithstanding  this  latter  obstacle,  France  had  resolved 
to  reach  and  attack  the  British  possessions  in  India,  and  the 
enterprising  spirit  of  Buonaparte,  was  just  suited  to  the 
hazard  of  the  undertaking.  To  accomplish  this  remote 
and  visionary  project,  it  was  resolved  to  invade  and  seize 
upon  the  whole  territory  of  Egypt,  that,  by  carrying  the 
commerce  of  the  east  through  the  Red  sea,  the  new  French 
colony  might  become  the  grand  mart,  where  all  Europe 
might  be  supplied  with  Indian  commodities,  much  cheaper 
than  they  could  be  procured  from  the  English  ; at  the 
same  time,  that,  as  a military  post,  it  could  at  all  times 
find  means  to  transport  auxiliaries  to  the  coast  of  Coro- 
mandel. This  plan  was  imparted  to  Tippoo,  and  it  was 
known  by  the  government  in  India  nearly  as  soon  as  it  was 
communicated  to  the  cabinet  of  London. 

It  was  the  expedition  to  Egypt,  that  the  directory  and 
the  general  were  preparing,  whilst  they  masked  their  designs 
under  the  appearance  of  organizing  an  army  of  England  to 
co-operate  with  the  United  Irishmen,  although  the  object 
was  concealed  with  so  much  address,  that  it  was  doubtful, 
after  it  was  known  that  Malta  had  been  captured,  whether 
the  general  might  not,  even  from  thence,  bend  his  course 
for  Ireland. 

Just  at  the  point  of  time  when  the  British  government  had 
most  to  dread  from  the  Irish  insurrection,  and  when  it  was 
under  the  necessity  of  guarding  every  French  port  on  the 
Western  ocean,  that  part  of  the  army  of  England,  which 
was  cantoned  in  the  southern  ports,  put  to  sea,  under  the 
command  of  Buonaparte.  On  the  20th  of  May,  1798,  the 
general  put  to  sea  from  the  harbour  of  Toulon,  on  board 
the  ship  l’Orient,  of  120  guns,  bearing  the  flag  of  admiral 
Bruyes,  to  take  the  command  of  a fleet  then  collecting  from 
the  different  ports  under  the  dominion  of  France,  and  which 
was  to  consist  of  thirteen  sail  of  the  line,  besides  four  frig- 
ates and  near  400  transports.  On  board  the  fleet  was  an 
army  of  40,000  men,  and  a vast  number  of  merchants  and 
adventurers,  who,  ready  to  take  any  road  that  seemed  to  lead 
to  fortune,  blindly  associated  their  fate  with  this  expedition, 
without  knowing  any  one  fact  relative  to  it,  more,  than  that 
Buonaparte  was  at  its  head  : there  were  also  a great  nurn 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


177 


ber  of  men  of  science  and  learned  persons,  besides  artists 
and  mechanics.,  all  of  whom  were  capable  of  contributing 
to  the  prosperity  of  a new  colony ; and  the  whole  of  this, 
including  the  sailors,  it  is  supposed,  made  the  whole  num- 
ber engaged  in  the  expedition  amount  to  near  70.000  souls. 

The  voyage  commenced  under  a fair  wind.  The  frigates 
led  the  van;  "the  admiral,  accompanied  by  the  advice  boats, 
followed,  and  the  ships  of  the  line  formed  the  rear : the 
transports  kept  in-shore,  between  the  Hieres  and  the  Le- 
vant. On  the  22d  the  fleet  off  St.  Fiorenzo  steered  in  an 
easterly  course  for  cape  Corsica,  leaving  Genoa  on  the  lar- 
board.* Having  passed  between  cape  Corsica  and  the  island 
Capraia,  the  leading  division  of  the  fleet  was,  at  five  P.  M. 
to  the  west  of  Pinosa,  where  the  wind  failing,  the  convoy 
could  make  no  way.  On  the  26th,  with  the  van  off  the 
mouths  of  the  Bonifacio,  the  fleet  lay  to  for  the  divisions  of 
Ajaccio  and  Civita  Vecchia.  No  land  was  in  sight  on  the 
morning  of  the  27th ; and  on  the  29th  the  frigates  were 
ordered  to  look  into  Cagliari,  and  to  return  to  Porto  Vec- 
ehia,  in  case  of  encountering  an  enemy  superior  in  force. 

On  the  6th  of  June  the  fleet  arrived  off  the  island  of 
Goza,  and,  the  same  morning,  all  the  ships  of  war  had 
passed  in  review  under  the  stern  of  the  admiral,  when  a 
vessel  was  sent  to  reconnoitre  several  ships  ahead ; and  it 
was  found  that  the  division  from  Civita  Vecchia,  under 
Dcsaix,  had,  by  keeping  the  Italian  coast,  passed  the  straits 
of  Messina,  and  got  a few  days  ahead  of  the  fleet  on  its 
way  to  Malta,  Cumino  and  Cuminetto,  which,  with  Goza 
and  Malta,  form  the  whole  territory  of  the  grand  master. 
Malta  was  seen  at  six  o’clock,  and  two  crazy  barks  came 
off,  to  sell  tobacco.  At  night  the  city  was  in  perfect  dark- 
ness, the  Juno  frigate  was  within  shot  of  St.  Elmo,  and  off 
the  port.  Signal  was  made  for  forming  the  frigates,  and  the 
whole  boats  were  ordered  out  at  nine  o’clock  : the  ships  of 
war  and  convoy  fired  several  guns  as  night  signals,  on  which 
the  only  light  remaining  on  the  port  was  extinguished.  The 
eaptains  went  on  board  the  l’Orient  ior  orders,  and,  how- 
\ ever  unprincipled  such  a resolution  might  be,  the  feme  of 
{ its  riches  had  determined  Buonaparte  to  attack  and  seize 
i the  island  and  its  dependencies.  On  the  9th  Buonaparte 
i asked  permission  to  water  his  fleet,  but  as  the  grand  master 
apprehended  danger  from  so  formidable  an  armament,  he 

23 


178 


THE  LIFE  OF 


refused  to  grant  the  request ; this  gave  Buonaparte  an  ex- 
cuse for  commencing  hostilities. 

On  the  10th,  at  four  A.  M.  therefore,  a semi-circular 
line  was  formed,  from  the  point  of  St.  Catharine  to  a league 
distance,  on  the  left  of  the  city,  completely  blockading  the 
port.  The  Juno  was  stationed  in  the  centre,  off  St.  Elmo 
and  St.  Angelo,  while  the  convoy  lay  at  anchor  between 
Goza  and  Cumino.  Immediately  after  this,  the  fort  St. 
Catharine  fired  a shot  at  the  boats  employed  in  landing  the 
division  under  general  Desaix,  and  the  ecclesiastical  stand- 
ard was  hoisted  on  the  fort  commanding  the  city.  At  the 
same  instant,  on  the  other  end  of  the  line,  shallops  were 
employed  landing  the  troops  and  artillery,  which  carried 
two  advanced  posts,  after  a momentary  resistance.  The 
batteries  of  all  the  forts  now  opened  their  fire  on  the  boats 
and  vessels,  which  was  kept  up  with  vigour  till  evening. 

A sortie  was  attempted  by  the  knights,  supported  by  some 
of  the  people  from  the  country.  The  French  troops  as- 
cended the  first  eminence  at  10  A.  M.  and,  having  marched  j 
behind  the  city,  drove  them  in  under  the  protection  of  their 
walls  and  batteries.  Many  of  the  knights  fell  a sacrifice  to 
their  valour,  being  massacred  on  their  return,  in  a commo- 
tion which  had  arisen  in  the  city.  On  the  first  day  the 
knights  were  in  grand  council ; provisions  of  all  kinds  and 
ammunition  were  carried  from  the  city  into  the  forts,  and 
the  general  bustle  and  activity,  announced  the  most  warlike 
intentions.  On  the  second  day  only  part  of  the  knights  ! 
wore  their  uniform  ; disputes  had  arisen,  and  they  continued 
agitated,  but  inactive. 

At  day-break  on  the  11th  a languid  fire  was  maintained  : 
a bark  under  the  ecclesiastical  standard  came  out  of  the  port, 
and  was  conducted  to  the  l’Orient ; at  eleven,  a second, 
under  the  flag  of  truce,  brought  those  knights,  who,  in  the 
interest  of  the  French,  chose  to  abandon  Malta  : from  them 
it  appeared  that  the  garrison  was  almost  totally  unprovided, 
and  at  four  P.  M.  there  were  fewer  men  than  guns  on  the 
walls  of  the  fort.  It  was  evident  that  the  citizens  and 
knights  had  disagreed,  the  gates  of  the  forts  being  shut, 
and  all  intercourse  between  them  and  the  city  at  an  end. 
The  general  sent  his  aid-de-camp,  Junot,  with  his  ultima- 
tum ; a few  minutes  after,  twelve  Maltese  commissioner? 
came  on  board  the  l’Qrient,  and  on  the  12th,  at  half  pas' 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


179 


eleven  the  signal  was  hoisted,  to  shew  that  Malta  was  in  the 
power  of  the  French.  Under  a salute  of  500  guns  from 
the  fleet,  the  French  troops  took  possession  of  the  forts, 
thus  completing  the  conquest  of  the  strongest  post  in  the 
Mediterranean. 

During  the  short  interval  of  eight  days,  Buonaparte  took 
possession  of  the  island  of  Malta,  organized  therein  a pro- 
visional government,  victualled  the  fleet,  took  in  water,  and 
arranged  all  the  military  and  administrative  dispositions  : 
he  quitted  it  on  the  19th  of  June,  having  entrusted  the  com- 
mand to  general  Vaubois,  and  appointed  citizen  Menard 
commissary  of  marine. 

The  wind  blew  freshly  from  the  north-west.  On  the  25th 
of  June  the  armament  came  within  sight  of  the  island  of 
Candia,  having  laid-to  the  best  part  of  the  day  for  the  con- 
voy, which  had  dispersed  in  a fog.  On  the  26th  the  cap- 
tain of  the  Juno  received  orders  to  make  all  the  sail  possible 
for  Alexandria,  now  sixty  leagues  distant ; and  there  to 
learn,  from  the  French  consul,  whether  the  expedition  had 
been  heard  of,  and  what  was  the  disposition  of  the  inhabi- 
tants with  regard  to  the  enterprise.  This  frigate  was  to  be 
the  first  vessel  to  anchor  on  the  African  shore,  and  was  or- 
dered to  collect  the  Frenchmen  resident  in  Alexandria,  and 
shelter  them  from  the  popular  tumults  that  the  arrival  of  the 
fleet  might  excite.  After  this  duty,  the  Juno  was  ordered 
to  return  to  the  rendezvous  of  the  fleet,  six  leagues  off  Cape 
Brule.  Every  sail  was  now  spread,  but  there  was  scarcely 
a breath  of  wind  during  the  whole  of  the  26th,  and  part  of 
the  following  day.  By  noon,  however,  on  the  27th,  she  was 
within  thirty  leagues  of  Alexandria ; the  welcome  cry  of 
“land!”  was  heard  from  the  maintop  at  four,  and  at  six 
o’clock  it  was  visible  from  the  deck,  extending  like  a white 
stripe  along  the  dark  edge  of  the  sea,  while  not  a single  tree 
or  house  interrupted  the  monotony  of  the  scene.  The  Ju- 
no, steering  east  by  south,  weathered  Cape  Durazo ; and 
at  one  o’clock  in  the  afternoon  a lieutenant  was  sent  on  shore, 
who  returned  at  midnight  with  the  French  consul  and  dro- 
goman  on  board,  and  the  frigate  set  sail  to  join  die  fleet. 

The  fleet  having  slackened  sail  to  wait  for  intelligence, 
the  general  took  advantage  of  the  interval  to  distribute  his 
general  orders  among  the  forces  : he  had  addressed  a pro- 
clamation to  the  army  immediately  on  his  arrival  at  Toulon, 


180 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  tendency  and  design  of  which  was  to  preserve  the  idea 
of  the  expedition  being  about  to  invade  the  British  do- 
minions. 

There  is  great  reason  to  believe,  that  if  the  army  had  form- 
ed any  conception  of  the  nature  of  the  voyage  or  of  the 
kind  of  warfare  in  which  they  were  about  to  engage,  before 
they  had  quitted  France,  they  would  have  mutined  rather 
than  have  engaged  in  the  expedition  : but  as  they  were 
promised  by  the  general  six  acres  of  land  for  each  man,  as 
the  price  of  the  first  victory,  and  their  extreme  ignorance 
led  them  to  believe  that  they  were  steering  the  shortest 
course  for  England,  they  had  embarked  on  the  voyage  as 
on  a party  of  pleasure:  yet  a few  days,  and  the  charm 
would  be  broken  ! instead  of  the  cultivated  fields  and  gol- 
den palaces  of  Albion,  the  disappointed  multitude  would 
find  themselves  among  the  dreary  ruins  and  barren  sands  of 
Africa  : it  was,  therefore,  necessary  to  set  England  before 
them,  as  the  goal  to  which  they  were  hastening,  and  Egypt 
as  nothing  more  than  an  outpost,  that  stood  in  their  way. 

On  the  1st  of  July  the  consul  arrived  on  board  the  ad- 
miral’s  ship  ; he  stated,  that  the  appearance  of  the  French 
frigate,  occasioned  the  immediate  adoption  of  measures 
against  the  Christian  inhabitants  of  the  city,  and  that  he  ex- 
perienced great  difficulty  in  coming  away  : he  added,  that 
14  English  vessels  appeared  on  the  28th  of  June  within  half 
a league  of  Alexandria,  and  that  admiral  Nelson,  after 
communicating  with  the  English  consul  relative  to  the 
French  fleet,  had  directed  his  course  towards  the  north-east; 
and  lastly,  he  informed  the  general  that  it  was  resolved  to 
defend  the  city  and  forts  of  Alexandria  against  the  troops  of 
any  nation  that  should  attempt  to  land. 

“ It  was  now  apprehended,” says  general Berthier,  “that 
the  English  fleet  would  suddenly  appear,  and  attack  us,  at 
a moment,  and  in  circumstances,  the  most  unfavourable  for 
resistance.  Not  an  instant  was  to  be  lost:  the  general  in 
chief,  the  same  evening,  made  the  necessary  arrangements 
for  a landing,  and  fixed  on  the  point  at  Marabou  as  the 
spot ; he  ordered  the  fleet  to  anchor  as  near  the  point  as 
possible  ; but  two  ships  of  war,  in  preparing  to  execute 
this,  ran  foul  of  the  admiral’s  ship,  which  caused  the  order 
to  be  countermanded,  and  the  armament  remained  at  its 
then  situation.  This  was  at  a distance  of  about  three 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


181 


leagues  from  the  shore,  the  wind  was  northerly,  and  blew 
with  violence,  and  the  waves,  dashing  against  the  breakers 
which  surround  the  coast,  rendered  the  debarkation  equal- 
ly perilous  and  difficult ; but  neither  these,  nor  the  adverse 
state  of  the  demerits,  could  retard  the  brave  men,  who 
were  eager  to  anticipate  the  hostile  dispositions  of  the  in- 
habitants. 

“ Buonaparte  was  anxious  to  superintend  the  debarka- 
tion in  person  ; he  went  on  board  a galley,  and  was  instant- 
ly followed  by  a numerous  train  of  boats,  in  which  he  had 
ordered  generals  Bon  and  Kleber  to  embark  such  parts  of 
their  divisions  as  were  on  board  the  ships  of  war.  Generals 
Desaix,  Regnier,  and  Menou,  whose  divisions  were  on 
board  the  transports,  were  ordered  to  effect  a landing  with 
their  men  in  three  columns,  as  near  as  possible  to  the  point 
of  Marabou.  The  sea,  in  an  instant,  was  covered  with 
boats,  which  stemmed  the  furious  impetuosity  of  the  waves. 
The  gaily  which  carried  Buonaparte  approached  the  nearest 
breakers,  whence  the  entrance  to  the  creek  of  Marabou  was 
discovered  ; he  there  waited  for  those  boats  that  had  or- 
ders to  join  him,  but  they  arrived  not  at  the  place  till  after 
sun-set,  and  were  unable,  during  the  night,  to  penetrate 
the  ledge  of  breakers.  At  length,  very  early  in  the  morn- 
ing, the  general  in  chief,  effected  a landing,  at  the  he  id  of 
the  foremost  troops,  who  immediately  formed  in  the  desert, 
about  three  leagues  from  Alexandria.” 

“ At  break  of  day  on  the  2d,”  says  Louis  Buonaparte, 
il  we  invested  Alexandria,  after  driving  into  the  town  seve- 
ral small  detachments  of  cavalry.  The  enemy  defended 
themselves  like  men  ; the  artillery  which  they  planted  on 
the  walls  was  wretchedly  served,  but  their  musquewy  was 
excellent.  These  people  have  no  idea  of  children’s  play  ; 
they  either  kill  or  are  killed.  The  first  enclosure,  however., 
that  is  to  say,  that  of  the  city  of  the  Arabs,  was  carried  ; 
and,  soon  after  the  second,  in  spite  of  the  fire  from  the 
houses.  The  forts,  which  are  on  the  coast  on  the  other 
side  of  the  city,  were  then  invested  ; and  in  the  evening 
capitulated.” 


182 


THE  LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Buonaparte  having  established  a divan,  and  appointed 
general  Kleber  commandant  at  Alexandria,  gave  orders 
that  the  transport  vessels  should  come  into  the  port  of  that 
city,  and  immediately  proceed  to  land  the  horses,  provisions 
and  every  thing  with  which  they  were  laden,  for  the  use  of 
the  expedition  : the  utmost  diligence  was  used  on  this  oc- 
casion, as  well  by  night,  as  by  day.  The  port  not  being 
capable  of  admitting  the  ships  of  war,  they  remained  at 
anchor  in  the  road,  at  some  distance,  which  circumstance 
rendered  the  landing  of  the  battering  cannon  a work  of 
great  difficulty. 

Buonaparte  settled  with  admiral  Brueys,  that  the  fleet 
should  anchor  at  Aboukir,  where  the  road  is  good,  and  the 
landing  easy  ; and  whence  a communication  might  be  kept 
open  with  Rosetta,  as  well  as  with  Alexandria  ; at  the 
same  time  he  ordered  the  admiral  to  cause  the  channel  of 
the  old  port  of  Alexandria  to  be  carefully  sounded  and  ex- 
amined, his  intention  being  that  the  squadron  should  after- 
wards, if  possible,  enter  it ; or,  in  case  it  was  found  im- 
practicable, that  it  should  proceed  to  Corfu.  Every  con- 
sideration required  that  the  debarkation  should  be  as  spee- 
dily completed  as  possible  ; the  English  might  suddenly 
present  themselves,  the  squadron,  therefore,  could  not  be  too 
soon  freed  from  the  incumbrances  of  the  expedition  : it  was 
also  essential  to  march  against  Cairo  to  prevent  the  Mame- 
lukes destroying  or  removing  the  magazines,  and  for  this 
purpose  also,  it  was  necessary,  as  expeditiously  as  possible, 
to  land  the  troops  requisite  for  such  an  operation.  During 
these  proceedings,  Buonaparte  inspected  the  town  and  for- 
tifications ; he  gave  orders  for  the  erection  of  new  works, 
and  took  every  measure  that  tended  in  a civil,  as  well  as  a 
military  point  of  view,  to  ensure  the  tranquillity  and  de- 
fence of  the  city  : and,  finally,  he  arranged  every  thing,  so 
that  the  troops  intended  for  the  purpose  were  soon  enabled 
to  march. 

Two  routes  lead  from  Alexandria  to  Cairo,  the  first  is 
through  the  desert,  by  Demenhur  ; to  proceed  by  the 
second,  it  is  necessary  to  arrive  at  Rosetta,  by  the  seaside, 
and  crossing  at  the  distance  of  a league  from  Aboukir,  a 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


183 


Strait  of  about  200  toises  wide,  which  joins  the  lake  Madie 
to  the  sea  ; but  to  go  by  this  route,  for  which  they  were 
entirely  unprepared,  would  necessarily  retard  the  progress 
of  the  army.  Nevertheless,  Buonaparte  caused  a small 
flotilla  to  be  prepared,  which  he  intended  should  proceed 
up  the  Nile.  This  flotilla  was  commanded  by  citizen 
Perree,  chief  of  division,  and  consisted  of  seven  small 
sloops,  three  gun-boats,  and  a xebeck,  which  would  have 
been  a considerable  assistance  to  the  army,  had  the  route  to 
Rosetta  been  taken,  in  carrying  the  baggage,  and  provisions 
of  the  troops,  and  co-operating  with  them  on  all  occasions  : 
but  the  French  had  not  yet  taken  possession  of  Rosetta, 
and  in  proceeding  by  that  route  Buonaparte  would  have 
retarded  the  progress  of  the  army  to  Cairo,  at  least  eight 
or  ten  days  : he,  therefore,  determined  to  advance  through 
the  desert,  by  Demenhur,  and  by  this  route  general  Desaix 
had  been  ordered  to  proceed. 

The  division  of  Kleber,  commanded  by  general  Dugua, 
received  orders  to  proceed,  together  with  the  dismounted 
cavalry,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Nile,  in  order  to  cover  the 
entrance  of  the  French  flotilla  into  that  river  ; the  general 
was  also  instructed  to  take  possession  of  Rosetta,  to  estab- 
lish therein  a provisional  divan,  to  leave  a garrison  in  the 
place,  to  erect  a battery  at  Lisbe,  and  to  embark  a quan- 
tity of  rice  in  the  flotilla  ; after  which  he  was  ordered  to 
proceed  towards  Cairo,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Nile,  in  or- 
der to  join  the  army  near  Rahmanieh,  and  the  flotilla  was 
to  proceed  up  the  river  with  all  possible  expedition. 

The  main  army  left  Alexandria  on  the  6th  and  7th  of 
July  : during  their  march  they  were  greatly  harassed  by  the 
Arabs',  who  had  filled  up  all  the  wells  at  Beda  and  at  Bir- 
kit ; so  that  the  soldiers,  scorched  by  the  heat  of  the  sun, 
felt  all  the  torments  of  a parching  thirst,  which  they  had  no 
means  of  assuaging.  The  wells,  which  generally  yield  a 
little  brackish  water,  were  explored,  but  a little  muddy 
water  could  alone  be  obtained,  and,  at  the  moment,  a glass 
of  the  pure  element  would  have  sold  for  its  weight  in  gold  ! 
The  Arabs  never  appeared  in  great  numbers,  although  ma- 
ny skirmishes  took  place,  in  one  of  which  the  general  de 
brigade,  Mireur,  was  mortally  wounded. 

On  the  10th  when  the  army  was  proceeding  on  its  march 
for  Rahmanieh,  the  paucity  of  the  wells  obliged  the  divis- 


184 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ions  of  generals  Menou,  Regnier,  and  Bon,  to  halt.  The 
soldiers  soon  discovered  the  Nile : accoutred  as  they  were, 
they  plunged  in,  and  drank  plentifully  of  a water,  compar- 
atively delicious.  But,  speedily,  the  drums  recalled  them 
to  their  colours ; a corps  of  about  eight  hundred  Mame- 
lukes were  perceived  approaching,  in  order  of  battle  : the 
soldiers  ran  to  their  arms,  the  enemy  retired,  and  took  the  ■ 
route  to  Demenhur,  where  they  encountered  the  division  of 
general  Desaix,  who  had  not  advanced  ; the  discharge  of 
cannon  announced  an  action.  Buonaparte  instantly  march- 
ed against  the  Mamelukes,  but  the  artillery  of  general  De- 
saix had  already  compelled  them  to  retreat ; they  were  soon 
put  to  flight,  leaving  40  men  killed  or  wounded.  Parmen- 
tier,  of  the  16th  demi-brigade,  was  killed  in  this  affair,  as 
was  one  of  the  guides  attached  to  the  cavalry ; ten  of  the  in- 
fantry were  slightly  wounded.  The  troops,  exhausted  by 
fatigue  and  privations,  were  greatly  in  want  of  repose  ; and 
the  horses,  unavoidably  harassed  and  enfeebled  by  the  voy- 
age, required  it  still  more.  These  considerations  induced 
Buonaparte  to  halt  at  Rahmanieh,  the  11th  and  12th,  when 
he  expected  the  flotilla,  and  the  division  under  the  command 
of  general  Dugua. 

This  general  had  taken  possession  of  Rosetta  without  any 
obstacle,  and,  by  forced  marches,  joined  the  army  at  the  j 
expected  period.  With  respect  to  the  flotilla,  he  announced, 
that  it  ascended  the  river  with  great  difficulty,  in  conse- 
quence of  the  lowness  of  the  water ; however,  it  arrived  on  , 
the  night  of  the  24th,  and,  during  the  same  night,  the  army 
set  out  for  Miniet-el-Sayd,  where  it  rested;  and  the  25th, 
before  day-break,  it  proceeded  again  on  its  march. 

In  the  course  of  that  day  the  Mamelukes,  to  the  number 
of  about  4,000,  were  discovered  at  the  distance  of  a league  : 
their  right  was  covered  by  the  village  of  Chebreisse,  in 
which  they  placed  some  pieces  of  cannon,  and  also  by  the 
Nile,  on  which  they  had  a flotilla,  consisting  of  gun-boats 
and  armed  dgerms.  Buonaparte  ordered  the  French  flotilla 
to  continue  its  course,  disposing  itself  so  as  to  co-operate 
with  the  left  of  the  army,  and  to  engage  the  enemy’s  vessels, 
at  the  moment  the  former  should  attack  the  Mamelukes 
and  the  village  of  Chebreisse.  The  violence  of  the  wind 
dei'anged  this  plan  : the  flotilla  passed  the  left  of  the  armjrs 
and  was  driven  nearly  a league  higher  up,  where  it  was 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


185 


compelled  to  engage  at  a great  disadvantage,  inasmuch  as  it 
had,  at  the  same  time,  to  sustain  the  fire  oi  the  Mamelukes, 
the  Fellahs,  (peasants  or  husbandmen,)  and  the  Arabs,  and 
to  defend  itself  against  the  enemy’s  flotilla. 

A number  of  the  Fellahs,  led  on  by  a party  of  Marne* 
lukes,  advanced  into  the  river,  and  getting  on  board  some 
dgerms,  they  possessed  themselves  of  one  galley  and  a gun- 
boat. The  commander,  Perree,  disposed  his  force  so  as  to 
make  a successful  attack  in  his  turn,  and  speedily  retook 
the  galley  and  the  gun-boat.  His  xebeck,  which  on  all 
sides  dealt  fire  and  death,  prevented  the  recapture  of  those 
vessels,  and  destroyed  several  of  the  enemj ’s  gun-boats: 
he  was  powerfully  supported  in  this  unequal  contest  by  the 
coolness  and  intrepidity  of  general  Andre ossy,  and  by  the 
citizens  Monge,  Berthollet,  Junot,  Pateur,  and  Bourienne, 
secretary  to  Buonaparte,  who  were  on  board  the  xebeck. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  noise  of  the  artillery  made  known 
to  Buonaparte  that  the  flotilla  was  engaged  ; he  marched 
the  army  au  pas  de  charge , and,  approaching  Chebreisse, 
he  perceived  the  Mamelukes  ranged  in  order  of  battle  in 
j front  of  the  village.  The  general  in  chief  reconnoitred  the 
position,  and  immediately  formed  the  army  ; it  was  com- 
posed of  five  divisions,  each  division  formed  a square,  pre- 
senting at  each  side  a front  of  six  deep,  the  artillery  wag 
placed  at  the  angles,  and  in  the  centre  the  cavalry  and 
1 baggage.  The  grenadiers  of  each  square  formed  platoons 
| which  flanked  the  divisions,  and  were  intended  to  reinforce 
lithe  points  of  attack.  The  miners,  and  those  charged  with 
the  depot  of  artillery,  posted  and  barricaded  themselves  in 
two  villages  in  the  rear,  to  secure  places  of  retreat  in  case 
of  that  event.  The  Mamelukes,  at  this  time,  were  not 
more  than  half  a league  from  the  army.  Suddenly  they 
advanced  in  crowds,  without  order  or  form,  and  wheeled 
about  on  the  flanks  and  on  the  rear  ; other  masses  fell  with 
impetuosity  on  the  right  and  front  of  the  army  : they  were 
suffered  to  approach  until  the  grape-shot  could  effectually 
i play  upon  them,  when  the  artillery  opened,  and  they  were 
[soon  put  to  flight.  Some  of  the  bravest  rushed,  sabre  in 
tand,  upon  the  platoons  on  the  flanks  ; the  onset  was  re- 
ceived with  firmness,  and  nearly  the  whole  were  killed  by 
he  fire  of  the  small  arms,  or  by  the  bayonet. 

Emboldened  by  this  success,  the  army  advanced  rapidlv 

24 


186 


THE  LIFE  OF 


against  "the  village  of  Chebreisse,  which  the  right  wing 
was  ordered  to  attack.  -This  post  was  carried  after  a fee- 
ble resistance  : the  defeat  of  the  Mamelukes  was  complete, 
they  fled  in  disorder  towards  Cairo  ; their  flotilla  retreated 
up  the  Nile  with  all  possible  expedition.  The  loss  of  the 
Mamelukes  exceeded  600  men,  of  whom  more  were  killed 
than  wounded  ; that  of  the  French  was  about  70,  besides 
the  loss  on  board  the  flotilla. 

The  commandant  Perree,  in  his  account  of  the  affair  says,  ; 
“ I had  20  of  my  men  wounded  and  several  killed.  A ball 
struck  my  sword  out  of  my  hand,  and  carried  away  a piece 
of  my  left  arm.  I do  not  think,  however,  that  it  will  be  at- 
tended with  any  bad  consequences ; indeed,  it  is  already 
nearly  well. 

“ I cannot  describe  to  you  what  we  suffered  in  this  ex-  j 
pedition  : we  were  reduced  for  several  days  to  subsist  en- 
tirely on  water-melons,  during  which  we  were  constantly 
exposed  to  the  fire  of  the  Arabs,  although  with  the  excep- 
tion of  a few  killed  and  wounded,  we  always  came  off  vicJ 
torious.  The  Nile  is  very  far  from  answering  the  descrip- 
tion I had  received  of  it : it  winds  incessantly,  and  is  withal 
very  shallow.” 

There  is,  however,  one  circumstance  that  attended  this 
skirmish,  which  none  of  the  French  writers  like  to  mention ; 
namely,  that  the  Mamelukes  accomplished  their  end  by 
getting  a temporary  possession  of  the  flotilla  ; for  each  car- 
ried off  as  much  of  the  baggage  as  he  could,  and  when  the 
gallant  Frenchmen  recovered  their  squadron,  they  found 
that  they  “ had  nothing  left  but  what  was  on  their  backs  !” 

After  the  action  was  over,  Buonaparte  ordered  the  gene- 
ral of  brigade,  Zayoncheck,  to  proceed  with  about  500  dis- 
mounted cavalry,  along  the  right  bank  of  the  Nile,  in  2 
route  parallel  to  the  march  of  the  army,  which  advanced  on 
the  left  bank.  The  2Gth  the  army  halted  at  Shabour,  anti 
on  the  27ih  at  Comscherif  : it  was  incessantly  harasses 
during  the  march,  by  the  Arabs  ; it  could  not  advanci 
farther  than  the  distance  of  a cannon  shot  without  fallins 
into  an  ambuscade.  The  assistant  to  the  adjutant-g-  neral 
Gallois,  was  killed  while  carrying  an  order  from  Buona 
parte  ; the  adjutant  Denano  fell  into  the  hands  ol  tn 
Arabs,  and  was  killed.  All  communication,  beyond  30 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


187 


toises  from  the  rear  of  the  army  was  cut  off : no  intelligence, 
therefore,  could  be  forwarded  to  or  received  from  Alex- 
andria. 

All  the  villages  at  which  the  army  arrived  were  aban- 
doned ; neither  men  nor  cattle  were  to  be  seen  : the  soldiers 
lay  upon  heaps  of  corn,  though  they  had  no  bread  to  eat, 
they  were  equally  destitute  of  animal  food,  and  subsisted 
only  upon  some  lentils,  and  a kind  of  thin  cakes,  which 
the  soldiers  made  themselves,  by  bruising  the  corn.  The 
army  continued  its  march  towards  Cairo,  and  on  the  19th 
of  July  general  Zayoncheck  united  with  the  main  army, 
where  the  Nile  divides  itself  into  two  branches,  those  of 
Rosetta  and  Damietta. 

It  is  hardly  possible  to  trace  the  march  of  the  French  in 
Egypt  without  examining  the  truth  of  a frequently  repeat- 
ed observation,  “ that  its  progress  was  marked  with  blood.” 
So  many  acrimonious  remarks  have  been  made  by  the  dif- 
ferent belligerent  powers  against  each  other,  that  the  cen- 
sures passed  on  either  side  should  be  received  with  great 
caution,  and  it  would  be  even  better  that  harsh  truths  should 
be  altogether  rejected,  than  that  one  statement  should  be 
admitted,  originating  only  in  passion.  The  same  caution 
is  to  be  observed  in  admitting  the  panegyrics  that  have 
been  passed  upon  the  different  parties  by  their  several  ad- 
mirers : if  that  arose  out  of  passion,  these  arise  out  of 
flattery,  and  neither  are  entitled  to  credit.  In  examining 
the  question  before  us,  the  testimony  of  an  Englishman 
may  be  doubted,  if  he  takes  the  affirmative  side  ; nor  can 
that  of  a Frenchman  be  believed  if  he  answers  in  the  nega- 
tive ; it  would  be  an  extremely  different  thing  if  an  Eng- 
lishman were  to  appear  on  the  negative  side,  for  then  he 
would  adopt  an  argument  against  himself,  and  the  candor 
he  would  display  would  demand  confidence  in  return. 
Such  being  the  fate  that  must  attend  the  question  were  the 
fact  contradicted  by  an  Englishman,  it  is  entitled  to  one  di- 
rectly opposite,  if  it  be  supported  by  an  affirmative  state- 
ment of  a Frenchman.  Thus  posterity  will  doubtless  judge  ; 
and  as  a very  few  ages  will  add  all  the  inconveniencies 
arising  out  of  a distance  of  time,  to  those  which  we  in 
this  age  feel  to  arise  out  of  distance  of  place,  it  will  only  be 
by  a comparison  of  isolated  facts,  that  our  successors  will 
be  able  to  form  any  opinion  of  those  events.  Having  pre- 


188 


THE  LIFE  OF 


mised  thus  much,  no  apology  can  be  required  for  intro-, 
dueing  a single  fact,  as  stated  by  M.  Denon,  without  any 
comment : that  traveller  was  deeply  interested  in  the  expe- 
dition ; he  was  witness  of  the  desolation  which  lie  relates : 
he  was  a Frenchman,  and,  in  many  instances,  he  is  known 
to  have  put  the  most  favourable  construction  upon  the  con- 
duct of  his  countrymen  ; so  much  so,  that  he  could  not 
think  that  they  had  been  guilty  of  any  crime  in  invading 
and  pillaging  these  feeble  tribes,  without  any  previous 
cause  of  quarrel ! The  statement  of  M.  Denon  is,  “ That 
the  people  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  supposing  that  the 
French  could  not  long  maintain  a footing  in  Egypt,  against 
their  all-powerful  masters,  allowed  the  army  to  proceed 
without  molestation ; but  to  ensure  a peace  with  the  beys, 
when  they  should  again  be  conquerors,  and  from  habits  of 
depredation,  they  often  attacked  and  fired  at  boats  going  up 
the  river  with  supplies  for  the  soldiers.  A boat  with  a few 
troops  was  sent  up,  and  received  assurances  of  fidelity,  and 
hostages  for  their  behaviour.  A vessel,  which  set  oft  for 
Cairo,  was  missing  ; and  from  the  inhabitants  themseives, 
it  was,  after  some  difficulty,  discovered,  that,  being  at- 
tacked a little  above  Fueli,  or  Fouah,  the  crew,  all  wounded, 
threw  themselves  into  the  river,  and,  having  been  forced 
on  shore  by  the  current,  were  made  prisoners,  and  all  of 
them  shot  at  Salmia.  An  example  was  now  necessary : 
200  men  were  landed  within  a mile  and  a half  of  the  vil- 
lage; one  party  proceeded  to  turn  it,  a second  marched  by 
the  edge  of  the  river,  while  the  third,  stationed  six  miles 
below,  completely  surrounded  it.  A charge  was  made  by 
the  enemy’s  cavalry  in  front  of  the  village,  and  repulsed  by 
the  bayonet : their  leading  men  fell  by  the  first  volley  of  the 
French,  when  the  others  got  into  confusion.  The  cheik, 
and  the  few  that  survived,  escaped,  from  the  third  de- 
tachment’s having  arrived  too  late  to  prevent  their  flight. 
Salmia  was  plundered  the  whole  of  the  day  ; and  at  night 
the  flames,  with  the  firing  of  cannon  without  intermission, 
gave  to  the  surrounding  country  assurance  of  the  certain 
destruction  which  such  conduct  would  bring  upon  the  in- 
habitants.” 

Previous  to  reaching  Cairo  Buonaparte  learned  that  the 
two  powerful  chiefs,  Murad  Bey  and  Ibrahim  Bey,  were 
likely  to  annoy  his  army  greatly,  and  many  severities  were 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


18 


inflicted  upon  those  Fellahs  who  were  friendly  to  the  Arabs, 
in  order  to  deter  them  from  strengthening  the  ranks  of  the 
beys.  On  the  19th,  Murad  Bey,  at  the  head  of 6, 000  Mame- 
lukes, and  a host  of  Arabs  and  Fellahs,  was  entrenched  at 
the  village  of  Ernbaba,  waiting  for  the  French  ; and  on  the 
22d,  Desaix,  whose  corps  formed  the  advanced  guard,  arri- 
ved within  two  miles  of  the  spot.  The  heat  was  intense, 
and  the  soldiers  excessively  fatigued,  which  induced  Buona- 
part  to  halt.  But  the  Mamelukes  no  sooner  perceived  the 
army  than  they  formed  upon  the  plain,  in  front  of  his  right : 
an  appearance  so  imposing  never  yet  presented  itself  to  the 
French  ; the  cavalry  of  the  Mamelukes  were  covered  with 
resplendent  armour.  Beyond  their  left  were  beheld  the  cel- 
ebrated pyramids,  of  which  the  imperishable  mass  has  sur- 
vived so  many  empires,  and  braved  for  more  than  thirty 
centuries  the  outrages  of  time  ! Behind  their  right  was 
the  Nile,  the  city  of  Cairo,  the  hills  of  Mokattam,  and  the 
fields  of  the  ancient  Memphis. 

When  Buonaparte  had  given  his  last  orders,  “ Go,”  said 
he,  pointing  to  the  pyramids,  “ and  think,  that,  horn  the 
heights  of  those  monuments,  forty  ages  survey  our  conduct.” 
The  army,  impatient  to  come  to  action,  was  soon  ranged  in 
order  of  battle  ; the  disposition  of  the  forces  was  similar  to 
that  at  the  battle  of  Chebreisse.  Buonaparte  ordered  the 
line  to  advance,  but  the  Mamelukes,  who  till  then  appeared 
irresolute,  prevented  the  execution  of  this  movement ; they 
made  a feint  against  the  centre,  but  rushed  with  impetuosity 
on  the  divisions  of  Desaix  and  Regnier,  which  formed  the 
right  : they  intrepidly  charged  these  columns,  which,  firm 
and  immoveable,  reserved  their  fire  until  the  enemy  advan- 
ced within  half  musket  shot  ; the  ill-directed  valour  of  the 
Mamelukes  in  vain  endeavoured  to  break  through  the  e 
walls  of  fire  and  ramparts  of  bayonets  ; their  ranks  were 
thinned,  a great  number  of  killed  and  wounded  remained 
on  the  field,  and  they  soon  retired  in  disorder,  without  ven- 
turing to  return  to  the  charge. 

While  the  divisions  of  generals  Desaix  and  Regnier  so 
successfully  repulsed  the  Mameluke  cavalry,  the  divisions 
of  Bon  and  Menou  supported  by  that  of  Kleber,  then  under 
the  command  of  general  Dugua,  advanced  rapidly  against 
the  entrenched  village  of  Ernbaba.  Two  battalions  of  the 
divisions  of  Bon  and  Menou  were  detached  with  orders  to 


190 


THE  LIFE  OF 


turn  the  village,  and,  in  the  mean  time,  to  take  advantage  of 
a deep  ditch,  that  lay  in  the  way,  the  better  to  defend  them- 
selves from  the  enemy’s  cavalry,  and  to  conceal  their  move- 
ments towards  the  Nile.  The  divisions,  preceded  by  their 
Hank  companies,  rapidly  advanced.  The  Mamelukes  un- 
successfully attacked  the  platoons  ; they  unmasked  forty 
pieces  of  bad  artillery,  which  they  discharged  upon  them, 
but  the  divisions  rushed  forward  with  such  impetuosity 
that  the  Mamelukes  had  not  time  to  re-load  their  guns. 
The  entrenchments  were  carried  by  the  bayonet,  and  tire 
camp,  as  well  as  the  village  of  Embaba,  were  soon  in  the 
possession  of  the  French.  Fifteen  hundred  Mameluke 
cavalry,  and  an  equal  number  of  Fellahs,  whose  retreat 
were  cut  off  by  generals  Marmont  and  Rampon,  occupied 
an  intrenched  position  in  the  rear  of  a ditch  that  communi- 
cated with  the  Nile,  and  in  vain  performed  prodigies  of  val- 
our in  their  defence  ; they  were  unwilling  to  surrender,  and 
none  of  them  escaped  the  sanguinary  fury  of  the  French 
soldiers  ; they  were  all  either  put  to  the  sword  or  drowned 
in  the  Nile.  Forty  pieces  of  cannon,  400  camels,  the  bag- 
gage, and  the  stores,  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  victors. 

Murad  Bey,  seeing  the  village  of  Embaba  carried,  at- 
tended only  to  his  retreat : the  divisions  of  generals  Desaix 
and  Regnier  had  already  compelled  his  cavalry  to  fall  back  : 
the  army  pursued  the  Mamelukes  as  far  as  Gaza,  beyond 
which  they  continued  their  flight ; and  the  French,  after 
lighting,  or  marching  and  fighting  nineteen  hours,  occupi- 
ed a position  at  Gaza.  Never  was  the  superiority  of  mod- 
ern European  tactics  over  those  of  the  Orientals,  or  disci- 
plined courage  over  ill-directed  valour  more  conspicuous,  or 
more  sensibly  felt,  than  on  that  day.  The  Mamelukes  were 
mounted  on  superb  Arabian  horses,  richly  caparisoned,  their 
armour  was  magnificent,  and  their  purses  well  stocked  with 
gold  ; these  spoils,  in  some  degree,  compensated  the  sol- 
diers for  the  excessive  fatigues  they  had  undergone.  Du- 
ring an  interval  of  fifteen  days,  their  only  nourishment  con- 
sisted of  a few  vegetables,  without  bread  : the  provisions 
found  in  the  camp,  therefore,  afforded  them  a delicious  re- 
past. 


The  division  of  general  Desaix  was  ordered  to  take  a po- 
sition in  front  of  Gaza,  and  on  the  route  of  Faium.  The 
division  of  Menou  passed,  during  the  night,  a branch  of  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


191 


Nile,  and  took  possession  of  the  isle  of  Roda.  The  ene- 
my in  their  flight,  burned  those  vessels  which  could  not 
speedily  re-ascend  the  Nile.  The  following  morning,  on 
the  23d  of  July,  the  principal  inhabitants  of  Cairo,  present- 
ed themselves  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  and  offered  to  de- 
liver up  the  city  to  the  French  : they  were  accompanied  by 
the  kiaja  of  the  pacha,  Ibrahim  Bey,  who  had  abandoned 
Cairo  during  the  night,  having  carried  off  the  pacha  with 
him  Buonaparte  received  them  at  Gaza  ; they  required 
protection  for  the  city,  and  engaged  for  its  submission  ; he 
answered,  that  the  wish  of  the  French  was  to  remain  in  am- 
ity with  the  Egyptian  people  and  the  Ottoman  Porte,  and 
assured  them  that  the  manners,  the  customs,  and  the  religion 
of  the  country,  should  be  scrupulously  respected  : they 
returned  to  Cairo,  accompanied  by  a detachment  under  the 
command  of  a French  officer.  The  populace  took  an  ad- 
vantage of  the  discomfiture  and  flight  of  the  Mamelukes, 
and  committed  some  excesses,  the  mansion  of  Murad  Bey 
was  pillaged  and  burned  ; but  it  was  contrary  to  the  princi- 
ples of  Buonaparte  to  suffer  other  persons  to  plunder,  and 
order  was  restored  in  consequence  of  the  proclamations  that 
he  issued,  and  the  appearance  of  an  armed  force. 

On  the  26th  of  July,  Buonaparte  removed  his  head-quar- 
ters to  Cairo  : the  divisions  of  generals  Regnier  and  Menou 
were  stationed  at  Old  Cairo,  the  divisions  of  Bon  and  Kle- 
ber  at  Boulac,  a corps  of  observation  was  placed  on  the 
route  of  Syria,  and  the  division  of  Desaix  was  ordered  to 
occupy  an  entrenched  position,  about  three  leagues,  in  front 
of  Embaba,  on  the  route  to  Upper  Egypt. 

Whilst  our  recollection  constantly  suggests  the  immorality 
and  dishonour  of  the  expedition,  it  is  impossible  to  withhold 
our  admiration  from  the  genius  by  which  it  was  accomplish- 
ed with  such  celerity  and  promptitude.  Two  months  had 
barely  elapsed  between  quitting  the  shores  of  France  and 
the  arrival  at  Cairo  ; and  in  this  short  space  two  states  had 
been  subdued,  in  defiance  of  the  most  powerful  navy  in  the 
world,  and  of  a combination  of  physical  obstacles,  such  as 
no  numerous  body  of  men  had  ever  dared  to  encounter  be- 
fore. 

Established  in  the  apparently  quiet  possession  of  Cairo, 
Buonaparte  prepared  to  send  his  dispatches  to  the  comman- 
ders at  Alexandria  and  to  Paris  ; and  among  the  ridiculous 


192 


THE  LIFE  OF 


characters  that  have  been  assumed  by  this  philosophical 
general,  it  is  not  the  least,  that  after  introducing  himself  to 
the  people  as  the  high  priest  of  liberty,  his  first  act  in  that 
office,  was  one  of  the  most  unblushing  despotism  that  any 
unrestrained  tyrant  could  have  committed  ; it  was  a mate- 
rial object  with  the  general  to  transport  the  rarities  of  Egypt 
to  the  museum  at  Paris,  and  to  gratily  that  passion,  he  or- 
dered the  Mamelukes,  whom  he  had  taken  prisoners,  to 
be  transported  in  his  first  collection  of  natural  curiosities  to 
France. 

Admiral  Ganteaume’s  dispatch  to  the  French  directo- 
ry, August,  1798,  communicating  the  intelligence  of  the 
battle  at  Aboukir,  is  most  truly  descriptive  of  the  general 
feelings  of  the  officers  of  the  French  fleet  upon  that  event; 
and,  notwithstanding  the  regret  which  is  expressed,  of  the 
French  admiral’s  having  chosen  the  position  wherein  he 
awaited  the  reception  of  the  English  fleet,  yet  it  was,  proba- 
bly, the  best  situation  that  he  could  have  selected  for  the  se- 
curity of  his  own  : it  was  neither  excellence  of  position, 

inequality  of  force,  or  superiority  of  arrangement,  that 
could  have  deterred  the  English  commander  from  enga- 
ging the  enemy.  Nelson,  the  English  admiral,  consider- 
ed that  his  duty  was  to  find  out  the  French  fleet,  and  to 
beat  it ; it  was  not  an  engagement  with  a probability  of 
success  that  he  calculated  upon  ; he  had  promised  to  him- 
self a victory , and  he,  therefore,  did  not  reckon  on  the 
chance  of  a defeat. — To  him  the  glory  would  have  been  the 
same,  whether  he  had  destroyed  the  French  fleet  or  perish- 
ed in  an  unsuccessful  action.  Like  Buonaparte,  the  gran- 
deur of  his  object  was  his  incitement  to  its  attainment ; and 
like  him  when  he  had  determined,  he  employed  all  the 
means  he  could  exert  to  effect  it : — Like  Buonaparte,  his 
means  were  arranged  and  combined  with  precision,  and  di- 
rected by  his  own  energy  and  intrepidity.  The  quick  dis- 
crimination of  his  judgment,  his  prompt  decision,  and  the 
exalted  daring  of  his  mind  ; every  faculty  of  attention  and 
of  noble  purpose  ; every  suggestion  of  his  soul,  and  every 
pulsation  of  his  heart ; all  that  his  gallant  spirit  could  con- 
ceive, command,  or  operate,  and  all  that  courage  and  valour 
could  prompt ; all  and  every  thing  of  the  man  and  of  his 
powers,  were  actively  and  individually  directed  to  the  exe- 
cution of  his  design.  This  was  the  man  w ho  led  tine  En- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


193 


glish  fleet  against  the  unfortunate  Brueys ; and,  had  he 
failed  in  his  attack,  it  would  not  have  been  because  he  had 
merely  endeavoured  to  drive  the  French  fleet  from  the 
shores  of  Egypt,  but  because  he  purposed  its  entire  de- 
struction, and,  therefore,  projected  such  a bold  manoeuvre, 
as  ordinary  skill  and  bravery  could  not  have  devised,  and 
would  not  have  tried.  His  intrepidity  was  crowned  by  suc- 
cess ; he  snatched  new  and  unfading  laurels,  where  scarce- 
ly any  other  penetration  could  have  discerned  them,  whence 
scarcely  any  other  hand  would  have  been  stretched  forth  to 
reach  them.  What  in  other  naval  commanders  would  have 
been  rashness  to  attempt,  he  achieved  ; and  thus  secured  a 
most  important  victory  lor  his  country,  and  enrolled  his 
own  fame  on  the  records  of  immortality. 

At  the  time  of  this  engagement,  Tallien  was  at  Rosetta, 
and,  in  a letter  to  Barras  the  director,  he  says,  “ Consterna- 
tion has  overwhelmed  us  all.  I set  out  to-morrow  for  Cai- 
ro, to  carry  the  news  to  Buonaparte  : it  will  shock  him  so 
much  the  more,  as  he  had  not  the  least  idea  of  its  happen- 
ing : he  will,  doubtless,  find  resources  in  himself,  if  not  to 
repair  a loss  of  such  magnitude,  at  least  to  prevent  the  dis- 
aster becoming  fatal  to  the  army  which  he  commands.” 

Desaix,  who  was  charged  to  observe  Murad,  and  to  hold 
him  in  check,  formed  an  entrenched  camp,  four  leagues 
beyond  Gaza,  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Nile  : his  advanced 
i posts  and  those  of  Murad  Bey  were  very  near  each  other. 

Ibrahim  Bey  retired  to  Belbeis,  where  he  waited  for  the  return 
j;  of  the  caravan  from  Mecca,  in  order  to  be  reinforced  by 
the  corps  of  Mamelukes  that  escorted  it,  with  a view  to  ex- 
ecute an  extensive  plan  of  hostile  operations,  in  conjunction 
with  Murad  Bey  and  the  Arabs.  From  this  arrangement,  it 
1 is  evident,  that,  whatever  credit  may  be  due  to  the  charges 
brought  by  the  French  against  the  beys  for  rnis-rule,  they 
were  not  destitute  of  talents.  Ibrahim  made  every  exertion 
j in  his  power  to  induce  the  Fellahs  of  the  Delta,  to  take 
arms,  and  to  incite  the  inhabitants  of  Cairo  to  revolt; 
Buonaparte,  therefore,  felt  the  necessity  of  organizing  a 
provisional  government,  as  well  as  of  regulating  every 
branch  of  the  public  service  ; he  also  wished,  by  placing 
his  forces  in  entrenched  positions,  to  secure  the  French 
Tom  all  surprise,  either  on  the  part  of  the  Mamelukes  or 
the  inhabitants. 


25 


194 


THE  LTFE  OF 


In  the  mean  time,  as  the  neighbourhood  of  Ibrahim 
Bey  was  highly  dangerous,  the  general  of  brigade,  Le  Clerc, 
was  dispatched  from  Cairo,  on  the  2d  of  August,  with  300 
cavalry,  three  companies  of  grenadiers,  and  a battalion, 
with  two  pieces  of  light  artillery,  and  ordered  to  take  a 
position  at  Elhanka,  and  to  observe  his  motions.  On  the 
following  day,  the  general  was  attacked  by  a body  of  4,000 
Mamelukes  and  Arabs,  which  a few  discharges  of  artillery  ' 
soon  compelled  to  retire.  Buonaparte  now  considered 
Ibrahim  of  so  much  consequence  that  he  marched  against 
him  in  person,  but  could  not  overtake  him  till  he  had  been 
joined  by  the  caravan,  and  increased  his  army  from  the 
Mamelukes,  its  escort.  At  Salehieh  the  French  came  up 
with  the  army  of  the  bey,  but  could  not  prevent  him 
reaching  the  desert  with  all  his  baggage  and  forces.  Buo- 
naparte now  took  measures  for  the  fortification  of  Salehieh 
and  Belbeis.  The  division  of  general  Dugua,  was  ordered 
to  proceed  to  Damietta,  to  take  possession  of  it,  and  to 
subdue  the  Delta.  General  Regnier’s  division  was  posted 
at  Salehieh,  in  order  to  secure  the  submission  of  the  pro- 
vince of  Cherkie,  and  Buonaparte  took  with  him  the  rest 
of  the  troops  to  Cairo  : it  was  on  his  return  from  this  ex- 
pedition that  he  received  irrellig  nee,  and  also  the  details  of 
the  naval  action  of  Aboukir.  What  his  private  feelings 
were  upon  that  event,  has  not  yet  transpired ; but  he 
managed  very  adroitly  to  collect  the  scattered  hopes  of  his 
followers,  by  the  turn  which  he  gave  to  it  in  public,  and 
which  his  dispatch  to  the  directory  will  best  serve  to  eluci- 
date. | 

Buonaparte,  member  of  the  national  institute , general 
in  chief  to  the  executive  directory. 

Head-Quarters,  Cairo,  August  19.  i 

“ CITIZEN  directors! 

“ On  the  6th  of  Juiy  I wrote  to  the  admiral,  to  enter 
the  port  of  Alexandria  in  twenty-four  hours ; and,  if  that 
was  not  practicable,  to  land  immediately  all  the  artillery 
and  stores  belonging  to  thearmv,  and  return  to  Corfu.  J 
then  ielt  Alexandria,  in  the  full  assurance  that  in  three 
days  one  of  these  measures  would  have  been  adopted 
From  that  time,  to  the  24th  of  July,  I received  no  intelli 
gence  whatever,  either  from  Rosetta  or  Alexandria:  a mul 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


195 


titude  of  Arabs,  collecting  from  all  parts  of  the  desert, 
kept  constantly  within  500  toises  of  the  camp. 

“ On  the  27th,  at  length,  the  report  of  our  victories,  and 
different  positions,  opened  our  communications.  I re- 
ceived several  letters  from  the  admiral,  when  I learned, 
with  astonishment,  that  he  remained  at  Aboukir.  I then 
wrote  to  him  again,  that  he  must  not  lose  an  hour,  but 
either  enter  the  port  of  Alexandria,  or  return  to  Corfu. 
The  admiral  had  written  to  me  on  the  20th  of  July,  that 
several  English  frigates  had  come  to  reconnoitre,  and  that 
he  was  fortifying  himself  in  expectation  of  the  enemy  at 
Aboukir.  This  strange  resolution  filled  me  with  the  most 
lively  alarms,  but  the  time  was  lost ; for  the  letter  of  the 
20th  did  not  reach  me  until  the  30th  of  the  same  month. 
I dispatched  citizen  Julien,  my  aid-de-camp,  with  orders 
not  to  leave  Aboukir  until  he  had  seen  the  squadron  under 
sail.  On  the  26th,  the  admiral  wrote  to  me  that  the  squad- 
ron had  retired,  which  measure  he  attributed  to  want  of 
provisions.  I received  this  letter  on  the  30th,  by  the  same 
courier  ; the  29th  he  wrote  to  me  that  he  had,  at  length, 
heard  of  the  victory  of  the  pyramids,  and  the  taking  of 
Cairo,  and  found  a passage  for  entering  the  port  of  Alex- 
andria ; that  letter  I received  the  1st  of  August.  On  the 
night  of  the  1st  of  August  the  English  attacked  him  : on 
the  moment  he  perceived  the  English  squadron,  he  dis- 
patched an  officer  to  apprise  me  of  his  dispositions  and 
plans  ; this  officer  perished  on  the  road.  It  seemed  to  me, 
that  admiral  Brueys  was  unwilling  to  return  to  Corfu  be- 
fore he  had  ascertained  the  practicability  of  entering  the 
port  of  Alexandria,  and  that  the  army,  of  which  he  had 
received  no  intelligence  for  a long  time,  was  in  a position, 
in  which  it  would  not  be  obliged  to  retreat : if,  in  this 
calamitous  event,  he  was  to  blame,  he  has  expiated  his 
faults  by  a glorious  death. 

“ The  destinies  have  been  desirous  to  prove,  on  this 
occasion,  as  on  so  many  others,  that  if  they  grant  us  a 
great  preponderance  on  the  continent,  they  have  given  the 
empire  of  the  seas  to  our  rivals ; but,  however  great  this 
reverse,  it  is  not  to  be  attributed  to  the  fickleness  of  fortune. 
She  has  not  abandoned  us  : far  from  it ; she  has  favoured 
us  in  the  whole  expedition,  in  a degree  surpassing  all  her 
former  efforts.  When  I arrived  before  Alexandria,  and 


196 


THE  LIFE  OF 


learned  that  the  English  had  been  there  a few  days  before, 
notwithstanding  the  tempestuousness  of  the  weather,  I threw 
myself  on  the  shore,  at  the  risk  of  being  wrecked.  I re- 
member at  the  moment  when  preparations  were  making  for 
landing,  there  was  a signal  in  the  offing  of  an  enemy’s  sail. 
(It  was  the  Justice  coming  from  Malta.)  I exclaimed, 
“ Fortune,  would  you  abandon  me?  Only  five  days  !”  I 
marched  all  night : At  break  of  day  I attacked  Alexandria 
with  3.000  harassed  men,  without  cannon,  and  nearly  with- 
out cartridges ; and,  in  five  days,  I became  master  of  Ro- 
setta, of  Demenhur ; that  is  to  say,  I was  already  establish- 
ed in  Egypt. 

“ For  these  five  days  was  the  squadron  sheltered  from  the 
enemy,  however  great  might  be  their  number?  Far  from 
it : it  remained  exposed  during  the  remainder  of  the  month 
of  July  : it  received  from  Rosetta,  about  the  20th  of  that 
month,  a supply  of  rice  for  two  months.  The  English 
were  for  ten  days  in  these  parts.  On  the  29th  of  July  it 
received  intelligence  of  our  entire  possession  of  Egypt,  and 
our  entry  into  Cairo  ; and  it  was  only  after  fortune  saw  that 
all  her  favours  were  become  of  no  further  use  that  she  aban- 
doned our  fleet  to  its  destiny.  I salute  you. 

(Signed)  Buonaparte.” 

The  illiberal  policy  of  imputing  this  blame  to  the  gallant 
Brueys,  after  his  death,  appears  as  unjust  as  it  was  ungene- 
rous, if  the  statement  of  the  admiral  be  true,  that  he  detain- 
ed the  fleet  “ to  gratify  the  wishes  of  the  commander  in 
chief.”  It  was,  perhaps,  to  atone  for  this  paltry  evasion, 
that  Buonaparte  was  induced  to  write  a letter  of  kindness 
and  condolence  to  Madam  Brueys. 

“ Your  husband,”  said  he,  “ was  killed  by  a cannon  ball 
in  fighting  nobly  for  his  country  : he  died  without  suffering 
for  a moment,  and  his  death  is  envied  by  all  good  soldiers. 
I feel  sincerely  what  you  must  suffer.  The  moment  which 
separates  us  from  the  person  whom  we  love  is  terrible  ; it 
insulates  us  from  every  thing  around  us,  and  causes  con- 
vulsions of  agony:  the  faculties  of  the  soul  are  almost  an- 
nihilated, and  we  hardly  preserve  any  connexion  with  the 
world  but  in  a dream.  Men  appear  to  us  more  cold,  more 
selfish,  more  wicked,  and  more  odious  than  they  really  are. 
We  .hink  in  this  situation,  that  if  there  was  nothing  which 
compelled  us  to  live,  it  were  better  for  us  to  die;  but,  after 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


197 


these  first  emotions,  when  we  press  our  infants  to  our  breast, 
tears  and  sentiments  of  tenderness  awaken  nature  within  us, 
and  we  live  again  for  our  children.  Yes,  madam,  let  me 
advise  you  to  see  them  instantly  ; let  them  soften  your  heart 
to  the  tender  impressions  of  melancholy  ; you  will  weep 
over  them,  you  will  watch  over  their  infancy  and  cultivate 
their  youth  ; you  will  speak  to  them  of  their  father,  of  your 
own  sufferings,  and  of  the  loss  which  they  and  their  coun- 
try have  sustained.  After  having  thus  re-attached  yourself 
to  the  world  by  filial  and  maternal  love,  endeavour  to  set 
some  value  upon  the  lively  interest  which  I shall  never  fail 
to  take  in  all  that  concerns  the  widow  of  my  friend.  Be 
satisfied  that  there  are  at  least  some  men  in  the  world,  how 
few  soever  they  may  be,  who  deserve  to  be  considered  as  the 
only  hope  of  the  wretched,  because  they  feel  for  their  suffer- 
ings with  sensibility.  Buonaparte.” 

Id  Fructidor,  €>th  year. 

Whatever  might  be  the  design  of  the  general  in  under- 
taking the  expedition  to  Egypt,  its  real  tendency  was  to 
lead  to  a new  opinion  of  his  own  character  : he  had  hither- 
to been  regarded  as  an  able  warrior,  and  the  vices  of  the 
conqueror  had  been  obscured  by  the  valour  of  the  soldier  ; 
but  he  seemed  now  to  have  entangled  himself  in  a snare, 
from  which  he  could  only  escape  by  practising  all  the  arts  of 
a cunning  knave.  The  reflections  he  had  cast  upon  Brueys 
placed  him  in  this  light  to  the  people  of  Europe,  and  his 
conduct  in  Egypt  made  much  the  same  impression  upon 
his  army  there.  A very  curious  specimen  of  his  ability  to 
conceal  his  views  in  a multitude  of  words  is  to  be  seen,  in 
a conversation  which  he  entered  into  with  three  of  the  muftis 
in  the  pyramids,  and,  which,  though  it  displayed  his  inge- 
nuity, served  to  elevate  him  as  an  object  of  fear  rather  than 
of  affection. 

Accompanied  by  his  staff,  and  the  members  of  the  nation- 
al institute,  attended  also  by  a powerful  guard,  and  con- 
ducted by  several  muftis  and  imans,  the  general  proceeded 
to  the  pyramids,  where,  after  hastily  surveying  the  five  infe- 
rior ones,  his  attention  was  principally  directed  to  that  call- 
ed “ Cheops.” 

After  examining  the  different  apartments,  he  seated  him- 
self in  a flattened  vault,  on  a chest  of  granite,  eight  feet  long 
and  four  leet  deep,  amongst  his  attendants,  and  invited  the 


198 


THE  LTFE  OF 


muftis,  imans,  &c.  to  be  also  seated,  when  he  commenced 
a conversation  with  Suluman,  Ibrahim,  and  Muhamed,  the 
chit  f muftis. 

Buonaparte.  God  is  great,  and  his  works  are  marvellous ; 
but  we  have  here  a grand  production  of  the  hand  of  man. 
What  was  the  object  of  the  individual  who  caused  this  pyra- 
mid to  be  constructed  ? 

Suluman.  He  was  a powerful  king  of  Egypt,  whose  name, 
it  is  said,  was  Cheops;  he  wished  to  prevent  the  sacrilegious 
from  troubling  the  repose  of  his  adies. 

Buonaparte.  The  great  Cyrus  commanded,  that,  when 
dead,  his  body  should  be  left  in  the  open  air,  that  it  might 
return  to  the  elements.  Dost  thou  not  think  that  he  did 
better?  Tell  me,  my  friend,  what  is  your  opinion? 

Suluman , (inclining  himself  J Glory  to  God!  to  whom 
all  glory  is  due. 

■Buonaparte.  Honour  to  Allah ! Who  was  the  calif  who 
caused  this  pyramid  to  be  opened,  and  troubled  the  ashes  of 
the  dead? 

Muhamed.  It  is  believed  by  some  that  it  was  Mahmoed, 
the  commander  of  the  faithful,  who  reigned  Several  centu- 
ries at  Bagdad ; others  say,  it  was  the  renowned  Aaron  Ras- 
child,  (peace  to  his  manes  !)  who  expected  to  find  treasures 
there;  but  when,  by  his  command,  entrance  was  made  into 
this  apartment,  tradition  says,  that  he  found  mummies  only, 
and  this  inscription  written  on  the  wali : — The  impious  shall 
commit  iniquitij  without  recompense,  hut  not  without  remorse. 

Buonaparte.  The  bread  stolen  by  the  wicked  fills  his 
mouth  with  sand. 

Muhamed,  ( inclining  himself.  J These  are  the  words  of 
wisdom. 

Buonaparte.  Glory  to  Allah!  there  is  no  other  God  but 
God,  Mahomet  is  his  prophet,  and  I am  his  friend. 

Suluman.  The  salutation  of  peace  to  the  envoy  of  God ! 
Salutation  to  thee  also,  invincible  warrior,  favourite  of  Ma- 
homet ! 

Buonaparte.  Mufti,  I thank  thee:  the  divine  Koran  is  the 
delight  of  my  soul,  and  the  object  of  my  contemplation.  I 
love  the  prophet,  and  I hope  ere  long  to  see  and  honour  his 
tomb  in  the  holy  city ; but  my  mission  is  first  to  extermi- 
nate the  Mamelukes. 

Ibrahim.  May  the  angels  of  victory  sweep  the  dust  from  | 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


199 


thy  path,  and  cover  thee  with  their  wings  ! the  Mameluke 
has  merited  death. 

Buonaparte.  He  has  been  smote  and  delivered  over  to  the 
black  angels,  Moukir  and  Quikir.  God,  on  whom  all 
things  depend,  has  ordained  that  his  dominions  shall  be  de- 
stroyed. 

Suluman.  He  has  extended  the  hand  of  rapine  over  the 
land,  the  harvests,  and  the  horses,  of  Egvpt. 

Buonaparte.  And  over  the  most  beautiful  slaves,  thrice, 
holy  mufti ! Allah  has  withered  his  hand:  if  Egypt  is  his 
portion,  let  him  shew  the  lease  which  God  has  given  him  of 
it;  but  God  is  just  and  merciful  to  his  people. 

Ibrahim.  O most  valiant  among  the  children  of  Issa  ! (Je- 
sus Christ)  Allah  has  caused  thee  to  follow  the  extermina- 
ting angel  to  deliver  his  land  of  Egypt. 

Buonaparte.  This  land  was  a prey  to  twenty-four  oppres- 
sors, (rebels  against  the  grand  sultan,  our  ally,  whom  God 
turn  to  his  glory,)  and  to  ten  thousand  slaves,  from  Candia 
and  Georgia.  Adriel,  the  angel  of  death,  has  breathed  upon 
them  ; we  are  come,  and  ‘they  have  disappeared ! 

Muhamed.  Noble  successor  of  I sander!  (Alexander)  ho- 
nour to  thy  invincible  arms,  and  to  the  unexpected  thunder 
which  springs  from  thy  warriors  on  horse. 

Buonaparte.  Dost  thou  believe  thunder  to  be  the  work  of 
the  children  of  men?  Dost  thou  believe  so?  Allah  has  pla- 
ced it  in  my  hands,  by  his  messenger,  the  genius  of  war. 

Ibrahim.  We  perceive  in  thy  works  the  great  Allah,  who 
has  sent  thee : coulcLt  thou  have  conquered,  if  Allah  had  not 
permitted?  The  D vita,  and  all  the  neighbouring  countries, 
resound  with  thy  miracles. 

Buonaparte.  A celestial  car  will  ascend,  by  mv  command, 
to  the  abode  of  the  clouds,  and  the  lightning  will  descend 
to  the  earth,  along  a metallic  wire,*  the  moment  I shall  bid 

it. 

Suluman.  And  the  great  serpent,  which  sprang  from  the 
base  of  the  pillar  of  Pompey,  on  the  day  of  thy  triumphant 
entry  in  Scanderish,  and  which  remained  withered  at  the 
socket  of  the  pillar,  was  that  not  aiso  a prodigy  effected  bv 
thy  hancl? 

Buonaparte.  Lights  of  the  age!  you  arc  destined  to  see 

* This  sublime  quackery  means  nothing  more,  in  intelligent  language,  than  an  air 
kallooD,  anil  an  electric  conductor  ’ 


200 


THE  LIFE  OF 


yet  greater  wonders  than  these  ; for  the  days  of  regeneration 
are  come. 

Ibrahim.  May  the  divine  unity  regard  thee  with  the  eye 
of  predilection,  adorer  of  Issa  ! and  render  thee  the  support 
of  the  children  of  the  Prophet. 

Buonaparte.  Has  not  Mahomet  said,  that  every  man  who 
adores  God,  and  performs  good  works,  whatever  may  be  his 
religion,  shall  be  saved? 

Suluman,  Muhamed,  Ibrahim , ( inclinining  themselves.)  He 
has  said  so. 

Buonaparte.  And,  if,  by  an  order  from  on  high,  I have 
moderated  the  pride  of-  the  vicar  of  Issa  (the  pope)  by  di- 
minishing his  terrestrial  possessions,  in  order  to  amass  for 
him  celestial  treasures,  was  it  rendering  glory  to  God,  whose 
mercy  is  infinite  ? 

Muhamed , f with  an  air  of  hesitation .J  The  mufti  of 
Rome  was  rich  and  powerful,  we  are  poor  muftis. 

Buonaparte,.  I know  that  you  are  poor;  be  without  ap- 
prehension, • for  you  have  been  weighed  in  the  balance  of 
Balthazar,  and,  you  have  been  found  light.  Does  this  py- 
ramid, then,  really  contain  no  treasure  that  you  know  of? 

Suluman , ( his  hands  on  his  breast.)  None,  my  lord  ! we 
swear  by  the  holy  city  of  Mecca. 

Buonaparte.  Unhappy,  thrice  unhappy ! those  who  seek 
for  perishable  riches,  and  covet  gold  and  silver,  which  are 
like  unto  dust! 

Suluman.  Thou  hast  spared  the  vicar  of  Issa,  and  hast 
treated  him  with  clemency  and  goodness. 

Buonaparte.  He  is  an  old  man  whom  I honour.  May  God 
accomplish,  when  they  shall  be  regulated  by  reason  and 
truth : but  he  is  to  blame  in  condemning  to  eternal  fire  all 
the  Mussulmen.  Allah  defend  us  from  intolerance! 

Ibrahim.  Glory  to  Allah,  and  to  his  prophet ! who  has 
sent  thee  into  the  midst  of  us  to  rekindle  the  faith  of  the 
weak,  and  to  open  to  the  faithful  the  gates  of  the  seventh  j 
heaven. 

Buonaparte.  You  have  spoken  my  wishes,  most  zealous  j 
muftis ! be  faithful  to  Allah,  the  sovereign  ruler  of  the  seven  j 
marvellous  heavens,  and  to  Mahomet,  his  vizir,  who  tra- 
versed all  the  celestial  mansions  in  a single  night.  Be  the  j 
friends  of  the  Francs,  and  Allah,  Mahomet,  and  the  Francs, 
will  recompense  you. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


201 


Ibrahim.  May  the  prophet  himself  cause  thee  to  sit  at  his 
left  hand,  on  the  day  of  the  resurrection,  after  the  third  sound 
of  the  trumpet. 

Buonaparte . “ He  that  hath  ears  to  hear  let  him  hear  !” 
The  hour  oi  political  resurrection  has  arrived  for  all  who 
groan  under  oppression.  Muftis,  imans,  mullahs,  dervises, 
and  kaler.ders!  instruct  the  people  of  Egypt,  encourage 
them  to  join  in  our  labours,  to  complete  the  destruction  of 
the  beys  and  the  Mamelukes:  favour  the  commerce  of  the 
Francs  in  your  country,  and  their  endeavours  to  arrive  at  the 
ancient  land  of  Brama.  Let  them  have  storehouses  in  your 
ports,  and  drive  far  from  you  the  islanders  of  Albion,  accurs- 
ed among  the  children  of  Issa  ! such  is  the  will  of  Mahomet. 
The  treasures,  industry  and  friendship  of  the  Francs  shall 
be  your  lot,  till  you  ascend  to  the  seventh  heaven,  and  are 
seated  by  the  side  of  the  black-eyed  houris,  who  are  endow- 
ed with  perpetual  youth  and  virginity.  Repose  under  the 
shade  of  Laba,  whose  branches  present  of  themselves  to  true 
j Musselmen  whatever  their  hearts  may  desire. 

Suluman,  f inclining  himself. ) Thou  hast  spoken  like  the 
i most  learned  of  the  mullahs.  We  place  faith  in  thy  words : 
ji  we  will  serve  thy  cause,  and  God  hears  us. 

Buonaparte.  God  is  great,  and  his  works  are  marvellous : 
the  salutation  of  peace  be  upon  you,  thrice  holy  muf- 
tis ! 

The  reader  will  hardly  discover  any  thing  in  this  bom- 
1 bastic  chit-chat,  but  a contest  between  cunning  and  craft; 
| yet  it  is  pretty  evident  that  the  design  of  the  general  was  to 
out- wit  the  priests,  but  he  failed  in  the  attempt. 

Buonaparte  having  established  his  head-quarters  at  Cairo, 
Desaix  was  ordered  to  pursue  Murad  Bey,  and  complete 
the  conquest  of  Upper  Egypt,  where  Murad  had  taken  ref- 
uge  after  the  battle  of  the  pyramids.  On  the  25th  of  Au- 
j gust  he  struck  his  camp  before  Cairo,  and  set  out,  togelh- 
|er  with  a flotilla,  which  was  to  convoy  his  march. 

On  his  return  to  Suez  Buonaparte  learned  that  Dgezzar 
• tad  taken  possession  of  the  fort  of  El-Arish,  which  defend- 
ed the  frontiers  of  Egypt ; this  fortress,  situated  about  two 
lays  journey  from  Cathieh,  and  ten  leagues  within  the  des- 
ert, was  occupied  by  the  advanced  guard  of  the  pacha. 
Certain  of  being  attacked,  no  other  alternative  remained  to 
Buonaparte  than  that  of  an  anticipation  of  farther  hostilities, 

26 


202 


THE  LIFE  OF 


He  quitted  Suez  immediately,  but,  previous  to  his  coming 
to  Cairo,  he  proceeded  to  Salehieh,  near  which  were  canton- 
ed the  troops  destined  to  form  the  advanced  guard  of  the 
expedition  to  Syria ; these  he  ordered  to  march  without  de- 
lay : he  then  proceeded  with  the  utmost  expedition  to  Cairo, 
where  he  exerted  the  greatest  celerity  in  the  preparations, 
and  in  collecting  the  main  body  of  the  army,  for  the  expe 
dition  to  Syria. 


CHAPTER  XIII. 


Those  who  have  admired  the  enterprising  spirit  of  Alex- 
ander, the  retreat  of  the  ten  thousand  under  Xenophon,  and 
the  fortitude  of  Charles  the  twelfth,  will  not  regard  the  val- 
orous struggles  of  the  republican  generals  wholly  unworthy 
of  praise.  Buonaparte  was  ignorant  of  the  state  of  af- 
fairs in  Europe,  owing  to  the  rigour  with  which  the 
English  blockaded  the  mouths  of  the  Nile,  and  pre- 
vented any  intelligence  passing  either  in  or  out  of  Egypt. 
He  assigned  a considerable  reinforcement,  under  Da- 
voust,  to  general  Desaix,  who  had  proceeded  into  Up- 
per Egypt,  with  orders  to  drive  the  Mamelukes  beyond 
the  cataracts  of  the  Nile,  and  then  ordered  the  depar- 
ture of  his  own  army.  This  force  consisted  of  the  di- 
visions of  general  Kleber,  who  had  under  his  command 
generals  Verdier  and  Junot,  a part  of  two  demi-brigades  of  j 
light  infantry,  and  of  the  25th  and  75th  of  the  line ; of  the  j 
division  of  general  Regnier,  who  had  under  his  orders! 
general  Legrange,  with  the  9th  and  the  85th  demi-brigade  I 
of  the  line  ; of  the  division  of  general  Lasne,  who  had  un- 1 
der  his  direction  generals  Vaux,  Robin,  and  Rambeau,  with  [ 
a party  of  the  22d  demi-brigade  of  light  infantry  and  of  the  I 
13th  and  69th  of  the  line  ; of  the  division  of  general  Bon,  I 
under  whose  orders  were  placed  Rampon  and  Vial,  with  at 
part  of  the  4th  demi-brigade  of  light  infantry,  and  of  the] 
18th  and  22d  demi-brigades  of  the  line  ; of  the  division  of  J 
general  Murat,  with  900  cavalry,  accompanied  by  four  light] 
four  pounders.  The  artillery  was  commanded  by  genera!  j 
Dau martin  and  the  engineers  by  general  Caffarelli ; the  part  j 
of  artillery  consisted  of  four  twelve  pounders,  three  eigh'  j 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


203 


pounders,  five  howitzers,  and  three  five  inch  mortars ; there 
were,  besides,  attached  to  each  division  two  eight  pound- 
ers, two  six  inch  howitzers,  and  two  three  pounders.  To 
the  guide  parties,  cavalry  and  infantry,  were  allotted  four 
eight  pounders  and  two  six  inch  howitzers.  The  different 
corps  constituted  an  army  of  about  10,000  men. 

Buonaparte  ordered  the  adjutant- general  Almeyrac,  to 
whom  the  command  of  Damietta  was  entrusted,  to  expe- 
dite the  fortifications  of  that  place,  and  to  transport  without 
delay  the  stores  and  provisions  across  the  lake  Menzale  to 
the  port  of  Tineth,  whence  they  were  to  be  forwarded  to 
the  magazines  at  Cathieh,  a march  of  about  five  hours. 
Some  pieces  of  battering  cannon  were  necessary  for  the 
reduction  of  Acre,  in  case  of  resistance  ; to  bring  them  by 
the  way  of  the  desert  was  impracticable ; they  were  or- 
dered to  be  put  on  board  a squadron  of  four  frigates,  under 
the  command  of  Perree,  which  lay  at  anchor  in  the  road  of 
Alexandria,  and  conveyed  by  sea,  in  defiance  of  the  Eng- 
lish cruizers  : this  was  a hazardous  project,  but  nothing 
more  would  be  lost  by  the  fleet  being  taken  to  England 
now,  than  if  it  lay  in  port  till  the  enemy  might  capture  it 
there. 

Buonaparte  ordered  the  admiral  to  cruise  off  Jaffa,  and  to 
keep  up  a communication  with  the  army ; he  calculated 
upon  their  arrival  within  a given  time.  The  utmost  dili- 
gence was  used  at  Cairo  in  collecting  the  necessary  number 
of  camels  and  mules  for  conveying  the  field  artillery,  the 
stores,  ammunition,  &c.  necessary  for  the  passage  of  an  ar- 
my through  the  desert. 

General  Kleber  was  ordered  to  embark  with  his  division 
at  Damietta,  the  French  being  then  complete  masters  of  the 
navigation  of  lake  Menzale,  and  to  proceed  across  the  lake 
to  Tineth,  and  from  thence  to  march  to  Cathieh,  where  he 
was  expected  to  arrive  on  the  4th  of  February.  General 
Regnier  quitted  Belbeis,  with  his  etat-major,  on  the  23d  of 
January,  1799,  and  arrived  at  Cathieh  on  the  4th  of  Februa- 
ry, where  he  joined  his  advanced  guard  ; the  6 th  he  march- 
ed for  El-Arish,  which,  together  with  the  fort,  was  occu- 
pied by  about  2,000  troops  of  the  pacha  of  Acre  : general 
Legrange,  with  two  pieces  of  cannon,  formed  the  advanced 
guard  of  general  Regnier’s  division.  On  the  8th  of  Feb- 
ruary, when  approaching  the  fountains  of  Messondiat,  he 


204 


THE  LTFE  OF 


perceived  a party  of  Mamelukes,  but  these  were  soon  dis- 
persed. He  arrived  in  the  evening  at  a grove  of  palm-trees, 
near  the  sea  and  fronting  El-Arish;  the  next  day  he  ad- 
vanced rapidly,  and  took  possession  of  some  sand-hills, 
which  commanded  El-Arish;  on  these  heights  he  took  a 
position  and  planted  his  artillery.  , The  operations  were 
speedily  commenced  : general  Regnier  caused  the  charge  to 
be  beat,  when  the  advanced  guard  advanced  rapidly  on  the 
right  and  left  of  the  village,  which  was  attacked  by  Reg- 
nier himself  in  front.  Notwithstanding  the  advantageous 
position  of  the  enemy,  in  a village  situated  in  the  form  of  an 
amphitheatre,  in  which  are  a few  houses  built  with  stone 
and  covered  by  the. fort;  notwithstanding  a most  obstinate 
resistance  and  a galling  fire,  the  village  was  carried  by  the 
bayonet,  the  enemy  retired  into  the  fort,  and  barricadoed  the 
doors  with  so  much  precipitation,  as  to  exclude  about  300 
rn'en,  who  were  either  killed  or  taken  prisoners.  General 
Regnier,  on  the  same  evening,  blockaded  the  fort  of  El- 
Arish  ; soon  after  a corps  of  cavalry  and  infantry  were  dis~  j 
covered  on  the  route  from  Gaza,  which  were  escorting  a 
convoy  of  provisions  for  El-Arish;  this  reinforcement  con- 
tinually increased  till  the  13th  of  February,  when  the  Ma- 
melukes emboldened  by  the  superiority  of  their  cavalry,  ad- 
vanced, and  pitched  their  tents  within  half  a league  of  El- 
Arish,  on  a plain  covered  by  a very  steep  ravine,  where 
they  considered  themselves  safe  from  attack.  , 

In  the  night  between  the  14th  and  15th  of  February,  a 
party  of  general  Regnier’s  division  turned  the  ravine  which 
covered  the  encampment  of  the  Mamelukes,  rushed  into 
the  camp,  killed  a great  many,  took  a considerable  number 
of  camels,  horses,  and  prisoners,  beside  great  quantities  of 
provisions  and  warlike  stores,  together  with  the  field  equi- 
pages of  the  Mamelukes. 

On  the  18th  of  February  the  army  took  a position  before 
El-Arish,  on  the  sand-hills  between  the  village  and  the  sea  : 
Buonaparte  ordered  one  of  the  towers  of  the  fort  to  be  can- 
nonaded, and,  as  soon  as  a breach  was  effected,  the  place 
was  summoned  to  surrender.  The  garrison  consisted  of 
Arnauts,  Maugrabins,  &c.  all  barbarians,  destitute  of  regu- 
lar chiefs,  and  ignorant  of  the  principles  or  usages  of  war 
as  carried  on  between  civilized  nations.  The  besieged  con- 
tinued, alternately,  to  fire  and  parley  ; at  length,  on  the! 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


205 


2©th  of  February,  the  garrison,  consisting  of  1,600  men, 
surrendered,  and  laid  down  their  arms,  on  the  sole  condi- 
tion of  their  being  allowed  to  retire  to  Bagdad  across  the 
desert : a number  of  the  Maugrabins  entered  into  the 
French  service.  In  the  fort  were  only  found  about  250 
horses,  two  dismounted  pieces  of  artillery,  and  provisions 
for  a few  days.  Buonaparte  sent  to  Cairo  the  standards 
taken  and  the  Mameluke  prisoners. 

On  the  23d  the  head-quarters  were  removed  from  EI- 
Arish  and  destined  for  Kan-jouness-;  the  general  in  chief, 
the  staff,  &c.  arrived  upon  the  heights  near  that  place  with- 
out receiving  any  intelligence  of  general  Kleber’s  division. 
Buonaparte  dispatched  some  of  his  escort  to  the  village  ; no 
French  troops  had  arrived  there  : some  Mamelukes,  who 
were  in  the  place,  fled  to  the  camp  of  Abdallah  Pacha, 
which  was  then  at  the  distance  of  about  a league,  on  the 
route  to  Gaza.  Buonaparte  having  only  a piquet  for  his 
escort,  and  convinced  that  Kleber’s  division  must  have  been 
misled^  fell  back  towards  Santon,  three  leagues  from  Kan- 
jouness,  in  the  desert.  He  there  found  the  advanced  guard 
of  the  cavalry^;  the  guides,  it  appeared,  had  led  general 
Kleber  astray  in  the  desert ; but  he  stopped  some  Arabs, 
and  compelled  them  to  point  out  the  right  road,  from  which 
he  had  been  misled  nearly  a day’s  march.  His  division 
arrived  on  the  24th,  at  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning,  after 
a distressing  march  of  forty-eight  hours,  during  which  he 
; was  without  water  ! The  divisions  of  generals  Bon  and 
| Lasne,  who  had  followed  the  same  route,  were  also  led 
■;  astray  for  some  time  : these  three  divisions,  which,  accord- 
' ing  to  orders,  should  have  arrived  and  moved  on  succes- 
! sively,  thus  arriving  at  Santon  nearly^  at  the  same  time,  the 
r wells  were  soon  exhausted.  With  a laborious  perseverance, 
h the  soldiers,  who  were  tormented  by  a burning  thirst,  sunk 
1 wells  in  various  places,  but  could  only  obtain  a very  partial 
and  inadequate  supply  of  water.  The  division  of  general 
; Regnier  was  ordered  to  remain  at  El-  Arish,  for  the  purpose 
I;  of  putting  the  fort,  which  is  the  key  of  Egypt  on  the  side 
I of  Syria,  into  a respectable  state  of  defence,  after  the  pris- 
oners of  war  had  evacuated  it,  and  also  to  wait  until  the 
| field  artillery  should  advance.  This  division  was  to  form 
the  rear  guard  of  the  army  at  an  interval  of  two  days’  march. 

About  a league  in  front  of  the  village  of  Kan-jouness 


206 


TEE  LIFE  OF 


are  several  columns  of  granite,  and  fragments  of  marble 
spars,  which,  at  first  sight,  were  imagined  to  be  the  remains 
of  an  ancient  monument ; but,  as  the  wells  of  Reffat  lie  at 
the  distance  of  a few  toises,  are  very  neatly  built,  and  afford 
abundance  of  good  water,  it  is  more  probable  that  these 
ruins  are  the  remains  of  a caravan  sera^  at  which  the  caravans 
were  accustomed  to  halt,  in  order  to  take  in  water  for  their 
journey  across  the  desert  which  separates  Syria  from  Egypt. 
The  army  had  traversed  sixty  leagues  of  an  arid  and  barren 
desert ; for  the  habitations  at  Cathieh  and  El-Arish  are 
chiefly  clay  huts,  with  a few  palm-trees  near  the  wells  ; its 
entrance,  therefore,  into  the  plains  of  Gaza,  and  the  pros- 
pect of  the  mountains  of  Syria  was  highly  gratifying.  At 
the  approach  of  the  army,  Abdallah,  who  was  encamped 
with  his  infantry,  and  the  Mameluke  corps,  within  a league 
of  Kan-jouness,  had  quitted  that  station,  and  fell  back  to- 
wards Gaza. 


* On  the  25th  of  February,  the  army  marched  from  Kan- 


jouness  towards  Gaza  ; about  two  leagues  from  that  town 


heights.  Buonaparte  immediately  formed  each  of  the  di- 
visions into  a square  ; that  of  general  Kleber  formed  the 
left,  and  was  ordered  to  march  against  Gaza,  on  the  right 
of  the  enemy  ; the  division  of  general  Bon  occupied  the 
centre,  and  advanced  towards  its  front ; the  right  was  form- 
ed of  the  division  of  general  Lasne,  which  marched  towards 
the  heights,  and  turned  the  positions  which  Abdallah  occu- 
pied. General  Murat,  with  the  cavalry,  and  six  pieces  of 
cannon,  marched  in  front  of  the  infantry,  and  prepared 
charge  the  enemy.  At  his  approach,  the  cavalry  of  Abd 
lah  made  several  irregular  movements,  and  their  confusi 
was  manifest ; at  one  time  they  suddenly  advanced  a 
seemed  willing  to  charge ; they,  however,  immediately  ma 
a retrograde  movement.  General  Murat  pushed  forwai 
but  failed  in  bringing  the  enemy  to  action  ; a party  of  th 
riflemen,  however,  were  intercepted  by  general  Klebei 
division,  by  whom  twenty-one  were  killed. 

The  army  advanced  about  a league  beyond  Gaza,  havi 
established  head-quarters  in  the  town.  The  fort  is  of  a c 
cular  form,  about  forty  toises  in  diameter,  and  flanked  wi 
towers.  It  contained  16,000  lbs.  of  powder,  a great  qua 


a body  of  the  Mameluke’s  cavalry  was  perceived  upon  the 


tky  of  cartridges  and  other  warlike  stores,  together  wi 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


207 


several  pieces  of  cannon.  In  the  town  were  also  found 
about  100,000  rations  of  biscuits,  some  rice,  a number  of 
tents,  and  a great  quantity  of  barley.  The  inhabitants  hav- 
ing sent  deputies  to  meet  the  French,  were  treated  as  friends. 
The  army  remained  the  26th  and  27th  in  this  quarter. 
Buonaparte  employed  himself,  during  that  interval,  in  or- 
ganizing a system  of  civil  and  military  government  for  the 
town  and  district ; he  formed  a divan,  consisting  of  the  prin- 
cipal Turkish  inhabitants  of  the  place.  On  the  28th  the 
army  advanced  towards  Jaffa,  where  the  Mamelukes  and 
Turks  were  collecting  their  forces.  The  escorts  of  pro- 
visions and  ammunition,  forwarded  from  the  magazines  at 
Cathieh,  were  at  this  time  several  days  march  in  the  rear  of 
the  army ; but  the  stores  which  had  been  abandoned  at 
Gaza,  enabled  the  army  to  advance. 

The  desert,  which  lies  between  Gaza  and  Jaffa,  is  an  im- 
mense plain,  on  which  are  moving  sand-hills,  that  render  the 
march  of  cavalry  a work  of  great  difficulty.  The  camels 
advanced  slowly,  and  with  pain  ; and  the  army  was  obliged, 
in  the  space  of  about  three  leagues,  to  change  the  artillery 
horses  three  times.  On  the  1st  of  March  the  army  rested 
at  Ezdoud,  and  the  second  at  Ramieh,  a town  inhabited  for 
the  greater  part  by  Christians ; a quantity  of  biscuit  was 
found  there,  which  the  enemy  had  not  time  to  remove,  and 
nearly  as  much  was  found  at  the  village  of  Lidda.  The 
hordes  of  Arabs,  who  hovered  about  these  villages,  for  pur- 
poses of  plunder,  took  flight  on  the  approach  of  the  French ; 
the  advanced  guard  which  consisted  of  general  Kleber’s  di- 
vision, arrived  before  Jaffa  ; the  enemy,  on  his  approach, 
retired  into  -the  body  of  the  place.  The  other  divisions  and 
the  cavalry  arrived  soon  after.  General  Kleber’s  division 
and  the  cavalry  were  ordered  to  occupy  a position  on  the 
river  Lahoya,  about  two  leagues  on  the  route  to  Acre,  for 
the  purpose  of  covering  the  siege  of  Jaffa.  The  town  was 
invested  by  the  divisions  of  generals  Bon  and  Lasne. 

Jaffa  is  surrounded  by  a wall,  but  destitute  of  a fosse ; it 
is  flanked  by  towers,  in  good  condition,  on  which  cannon 
were  mounted.  Towards  the  s£a  are  erected  two  forts, 
which  command  the  port  and  road.  The  point  of  attack 
fixed  on,  was  to  the  south  of  the  town,  against  the  highest 
and  strongest  part  of  the  works.  In  the  night  between  the 
4th  and  5th  the  trenches  were  opened,  a battery  in  breach 


208 


THE  LIFE  OF 


was  constructed,  and  two  counter  batteries,  against  the 
square  tower,  the  most  commanding  part  of  the  whole  front 
of  attack.  A battery  was  also  erected  to  the  north  of  the 
place,  in  order  to  effect  a diversion.  The  whole  of  the  5th 
and  6th  were  employed  in  advancing  and  completing  the 
works.  The  Mamelukes  made  two  sorties,  but  were  dri- 
ven back  with  considerable  loss. 

On  the  6th,  at  day-break,  the  cannonade  commenced, 
and  at  four  o’clock  the  breach  made  was  deemed  practica- 
ble. An  assault  was  ordered.  The  besieged,  at  different 
times,  made  great  efforts ; but,  a breach  being  effected, 
the  division  of  general  Lasne  drove  them  from  roof  to  roof, 
and  from  street  to  street ; and,  in  a short  time,  gained  pos-  , 
session  of  two  forts.  The  division  of  general  Bon,  which 
had  been  engaged  in  making  false  attacks,  now  entered  the 
town  near  the  port.  The  garrison  continued  to  defend 
themselves  desperately,  and,  refusing  to  lay  down  their 
arms,  were  put  to  the  sword;  it  consisted  of  about  12,000 
Turkish  gunners,  about  2,500  Maugrabins  or  Arnauts. 
Three  hundred  Egyptians  who  had  surrendered,  were  sent 
to  Egypt.  The  loss  of  the  French  army  was  inconsidera- 
ble. " 

When  the  French  became  masters  of  the  town  and  forts, 
the  command  of  the  place  was  given  to  general  Robin,  who' 
succeeded  in  extinguishing  those  disorders  which  naturally 
follow  an  assault,  especially  when  obstinately  resisted.  The 
inhabitants  were  protected  as  far  as  it  suited  the  purposes 
of  the  conquerors  ; they  returned  to  their  respective  habi- 
tations, and  on  the  7th  order  was  restored.  In  the  place  j 
was  found  the  field  train  sent  to  Dgezzar  Pacha,  by  the 
grand  seignior,  which  consisted  of  40  pieces  of  artillery,  • 
cannon,  or  large  howitzers;  and  21  guns,  brass  or  iron. 

In  the  port  were  15  small  trading  vessels.  Buonaparte  gave 
the  necessary  orders  for  putting  the  town  and  fort  in  a pro- 
per state  of  defence  ; and  also  for  establishing  an  hospital 
and  magazines.  He  constituted  a divan,  consisting  of  the 
most  distinguished  Turks  of  the  place  ; and  sent  orders  to  . 
the  admiral,  Perree,  to  sail  immediately  from  Alexandria, 
with  the  three  frigates,  and  to  repair  to  Jaffa.  This  port 
was  intended  to  be  the  depot  of  every  article  that  should  be 
received  from  Alexandria  and  Damietta.  As  the  place  was 
rather  exposed  to  descents’and  incursions,  Buonaparte  en 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


209 


trusted  the  command  to  the  adjutant- general  Gressier,  an 
officer  distinguished  by  his  talents  and  bravery  ; but  he  soon 
died  there,  of  the  plague. 

On  the  15th  of  March  general  Kleber  was  encamped  at 
Misky,  in  front  of  the  position  which  he  had  taken  for  the 
purpose  of  covering  the  siege  of  Jaffa.  The  divisions  of 
generals  Bon  and  Lasne,  as  well  as  the  head-quarters,  re- 
moved from  Jaffa  and  joined  the  advanced  guard  at  Misky  ; 
the  army  marching  onward  to  Zeta,  the  advanced  guard  ob- 
served a corps  of  cavalry.  Abdallah  Pacha,  it  appeared, 
had  taken  a position,  with  2,000  cavalry,  on  the  heights  of 
Korsum,  having  on  his  left  a body  of  about  10,000  Turks, 
who  occupied  a more  elevated  situation.  The  object  of  the 
pacha  was  to  check  the  progress  of  the  army,  and,  by  ta- 
king a position  on  its  flank,  to  force  it  to  an  action  among 
the  mountains  and  defiles  of  Naplouze,  for  the  purpose  of  re- 
tarding its  march  to  Acre.  The  divisions  of  generals  Bon 
and  Kleber  were  immediately  formed  in  squares,  and  ad- 
vanced against  the  cavalry,  who  fled  from  the  contest. 
General  Lasne’s  division  was  ordered  to  march  towards  the 
right  of  Abdallah’s  force,  for  the  purpose  of  intercepting  its 
communication  with  the  rest,  and  compelling  him  to  retreat 
at  once  either  to  A re  or  Damascus.  This  division,  borne 
away  by  its  ardour,  pursued  the  pacha  into  the  heart  of  the 
mountains  and  defiles,  and  attacked  the  Naplouzin  force 
with  such  vigour  as  to  put  it  entirely  to  flight ; the  light  in- 
fantry pursued  with  alacrity  so  far  in  front  as  to  oblige  the 
general  to  send  them  repeated  orders  to  desist  front  a pur- 
suit attended  with  no  advantage ; they,  at  length,  obeyed, 
and  the  Naplouzians,  regarding  this  retrograde  movement 
as  a retreat,  pursued  in  their  turn,  the  light  infantry  ; being 
acquainted  with  the  defiles  and  advantageous  situations  a- 
mong  the  mountains,  they  fired  upon  the  French  with  great 
effect.  The  division  endeavoured  in  vain  to  draw  the  Na- 
plouzians from  the  mountains. 

On  the  15th  the  French  lay  all  night  underarms,  near 
the  tower  of  Zeta.  The  16th  of  March  the  division  of 
general  Kleber  advanced  to  Caiffa,  which  was  abandoned 
on.  his  approach;  about  20,000  rations  of  biscuit,  and  an 
equal  quantity  of  rice  was  found  in  the  place.  Caiffa  is  sur- 
rounded by  strong  walls,  flanked  by  towers ; a castle  de- 
fends the  road  and  port ; a tower  built  with  embrasures  and 

27 


210 


THE  LIFE  OF 


embattled,  commands  the  town  at  the  distance  of  150  toises, 
but  the  whole  is  overlooked  by  the  heights  of  Mount  Car- 
mel. The  Mamelukes  when  they  evacuated  it,  carried  off 
the  artillery,  and  all  the  military  stores.  The  French  left  a 
garrison  in  the  castle,  and  on  the  17th  proceeded  towards  St. 
John  d’Acre.  The  roads  were  in  very  bad  condition,  and 
the  weather  foggy,  so  that  it  was  very  late  when  they  ar- 
rived at  the  entrance  of  the  river  which  runs  at  the  distance 
of  1,500  toises  from  the  place,  through  marshy  grounds. 
The  passage  was  dangerous  to  attempt  during  the  night,  as 
the  cavalry  and  infantry,  on  the  opposite  bank,  appeared  in 
great  force.  General  Andreossy  was,  notwithstanding, 
dispatched  to  examine  the  fords ; he  passed  with  the  second 
battalion  of  the  fourth  light  infantry,  and  took  possession, 
at  night-fall,  of  an  eminence  overlooking  an  entrenched 
camp.  Bessiere,  chef  de  brigade , with  a party  of  the 
guides,  and  two  pieces  of  artillery,  took  a position  between 
the  works  and  the  river  Acre. 

During  the  night  a bridge  was  constructed,  over  which 
the  army  passed  the  river  at  day-break,  on  the  18th.  Buo- 
naparte immediately  led  the  army  to  an  eminence  which 
commanded  St  John  d’Acre,  at  the  distance  of  1,000  toises. 
Parties  of  the  Turks  still  kept  their  ground  without  the 
place,  in  the  gardens  with  which  it  is  surrounded  ; but 
they  were  so  briskly  attacked,  that  they  soon  retired  within 
the  works. 

The  English  had  appointed  that  enterprising  naval  com- 
mander, sir  W.  Sydney  Smith,  minister  to  the  porte,  and 
he  had  arrived  at  Constantinople  early  in  January.  The 
plan  of  the  Syrian  campaign  had  been  concerted  between 
that  officer  and  the  Turkish  government,  and  the  British 
forces  were  ready  to  co-operate  with  the  pacha  of  Acre  at 
the  time  that  Buonaparte  reached  that  place.  The  English 
force  was,  comparatively,  small,  but  it  served  to  encourage 
the  troops  of  the  pacha ; and  it  was  now  that  the  French 
general  first  experienced  an  opposition  that  the  combined 
energies  of  his  power  and  talents  were  incapable  of  sur- 
mounting. The  republicans  were  not  aware  that  any  naval 
preparations  had  been  made,  and  they  took  up  their  ground  1 
so  near  to  the  water  side,  that  sir  Sydney,  who  had  witness! 
ed  their  approach  by  .the  foot  of  Mount  Carmel,  saluted 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


211 


them  by  a galling  fire  from  his  boats,  which  obliged  them 
to  retire  with  precipitation, 

The  French  took  a position  on  an  insulated  eminence, 
commanding  to  the  east  a plain,  about  a league  and  three 
quarters  in  length,  terminated  by  the  mountains  that  lie  be- 
tween Acre  and  the  river  Jordan.  The  provisions  found  in 
the  magazines  at  CaifFa,  and  in  the  villages  of  Cheif-Amrs 
and  Nazareth,  were  made  use  of  for  the  subsistence  of  the 
army ; the  mills  at  Tanoux  and  Kerdanne  were  employed 
in  grinding  the  corn : the  army  had  eaten  no  bread  since 
they  left  Cairo. 

Buonaparte,  in  order  to  keep  open  the  route  to  Damas- 
cus, garrisoned  the  castles  of  Saffet,  Nazareth,  and  Cheif- 
Amrs.  Generals  Dammartin  and  Caffarelli  reconnoitred  the 
fortress,  and  it  was  determined  to  attack  the  front  of  the  sa- 
lient angle  to  the  eastward  : Samson,  chief-de-brigade  of 
the  engineers,  was  wounded  by  a ball  in  the  hand  while  re- 
connoitring the  counterscarp.  On  the  20th  the  trenches 
were  opened,  and  advantage  was  taken  of  the  garden  enclo- 
sures, the  fosse  of  the  old  town,  and  an  aqueduct  that  cross- 
ed the  glacis,  in  their  formation.  A blockade  was  estab- 
lished to  repulse  sorties  with  advantage,  and  to  intercept  all 
communication : the  French  laboured  incessantly  at  the  erec- 
tion of  batteries  en  breche  and  cross  batteries  ; but  they  re- 
ceived no  intelligence  of  the  battering  cannon,  that  had  been 
shipped  at  Alexandria. 

A curious  variation  in  the  accounts  given  of  the  com- 
mencement of  these  operations,  by  the  French  and  English 
commanders,  gives  rise  to  a train  of  reflections,  by  no 
means  calculated  to  increase  confidence  in  the  statements  of 
naval  and  military  men.  Sir  Sydney  says,  that,  as  the 
French  fired  upon  his  boats  with  musketry,  he  judged  that 
they  had  no  cannon  with  them,  and,  of  course,  that  they 
were  to  be  expected  by  sea  ; he,  therefore  detached  a part 
of  his  squadron  to  Jaffa  to  look  out  for  them,  and  was  for- 
tunate enough  to  reach  that  place  just  as  they  hove  in  sight. 
It  was  in  vain  that  this  flotilla  endeavoured  to  escape  ; seven 
vessels,  containing  all  the  ammunition,  platforms,  and  bat- 
tering train  of  artillery,  were  captured ; and  only  three  small 
vessels  got  away,  which  contained  Buonaparte’s  private 
property  : those  prizes  were  manned  and  employed  in  ra- 
king the  coast  and  distressing  the  enemy  by  land.  This 


212 


THE  LTFE  OF 


advantage,  so  important  in  its  consequences,  was  achieved 
with  very  little  loss,  and  was  doubly  mischievous  to  Buona- 
parte, as  he  was  not  immediately  acquainted  with  it;  and, 
while  he  continued  in  expectation  of  his  train,  a sufficient 
force  arrived  to  render  the  whole  project  abortive.  Of  this 
circumstance  general  Berthier,  who  writes  an  account  of  the 
siege,  gives  a very  different  relation. 

“ The  commander  of  the  English  squadron,”  says  he, 
“ being  informed  that  a great  quantity  of  stores  and  pro- 
visions were  collected  at  Caiffa,  formed  the  design  of 
seizing  them,  and,  at  the  same  time,  capturing  several  ves 
sels  that  had  recently  arrived  there  from  Java,  with  provis 
ions  for  the  army.  The  command  at  Caiffa  was  provion 
ally,  intrusted  to  Lambert,  chefd'escadron , a distinguished 
officer.  On  the  22d  a smart  cannonade  was  heard  in  the 
camp  before  Acre,  in  the  direction  at  Caiffa  : we  were  soon 
informed,  that  several  English  sloops  of  war,  armed  with 
32- pound  carronades,  had  attacked  Caiffa,  and  attempted 
to  seize  the  transport  vessels  that  lay  in  the  port ; that  the 
chef-d' escadron , Lambert,  had  given  orders  to  suffer  the 
English  to  approach  very  near  to  land  without  any  shew 
of  opposition ; but  that  he  had  concealed  a howitzer,  and 
placed  in  ambuscade  sixty  men,  who  composed  his  garri- 
son ; and,  that,  at  the  very  moment  the  enemy  were  on  the 
point  of  landing,  he  fell  upon  them,  at  the  head  of  his  brave 
men,  boarded  and  took  possession  of  one  of  their  sloops, 
and  also  a 32-pounder,  and  made  17  prisoners:  finally, 
that  the  fire  from  his  howitzer  was  directed  against  the  other 
sloops  with  so  much  success,  that  they,  shortly,  took  to 
flight,  having  more  than  100  men  killed  or  wounded.  The 
English  commodore,  thus  repulsed,  abandoned  his  design 
against  Caiffa,  and,  soon  alter,  came  to  an  anchor  before 
Acre.” 

These  kind  of  mistatements,  we  fear,  are  too  common 
and,  if  we  accept  the  narrative  of  Sir  Sydney,  as  more  en 
titled  to  credit  in  this  instance,  it  is,  because  the  French  of- 
ficers have  sported  with  their  reputation  so  much,  in  their 
details  of  this  expedition,  that  they  have  forfeited  all  claim 
to  belief! 

The  siege  commenced  on  the  26th  of  March  : the  Turks 
made  a sortie,  but  were  repulsed  with  loss  ; the  batteries  in 
breach  and  the  cross  batteries  were  completed.  On  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


213 


28th  field-pieces  only  were  used  to  batter  the  tower  in  the 
line  of  attack.  About  three  in  the  evening  a breach  was 
made  ; at  the  same  time  a mine,  which  was  pushed  under 
the  counterscarp,  was  sprung,  which  did  little  execution. 
The  breach  was  deemed  as  practicable  as  that  of  Jaffa ; but 
the  French  grenadiers  had  not  advanced  far  when  their 
course  was  arrested  by  a fosse,  15  feet  deep,  connected  with 
a good  counterscarp.  The  fire  from  the  place  was  terrible  : 
the  adjutants-general,  Escale  and  Lagnier  were  killed.  An 
impulse  of  terror,  for  a moment,  unaccountably,  aitected  a 
number  of  the  Turks  ; they  fled  towards  the  port,  but  soon 
rallied  and  returned  to  the  breach,  which  the  French  gren- 
adiers in  vain  attempted  to  mount,  its  height  being  near  ten 
feet  above  the  rubbish.  This  circumstance  afforded  the 
pacha  time  to  rally  his  forces  and  to  ascend  to  the  parapet 
of  the  tower,  whence  they  showered  down  stones,  grenades, 
and  combustible  materials,  upon  the  assailants.  A platoon 
of  French  grenadiers,  who  arrived  near  the  foot  of  the 
breach,  were  unable  to  advance  and  obliged  to  return  to  the 
trenches. 

The  taking  of  Jaffa  inspired  the  French  army  with  a de- 
gree of  confidence  that  induced  them  to  regard  the  works 
at  Acre  as  of  little  importance  ; they  seemed  to  consider  as 
an  ordinary  field  operation,  a siege  which  required  all  the 
resources  of  the  military  art ; the  more  so,  as  they  were 
destitute  of  the  artillery  and  the  ammunition  necessary  for 
the  attack  of  a place  surrounded  by  a wall,  flanked  by  strong 
towers,  and  environed  by  a fosse,  with  a scarp  and  counter- 
scarp. The  besieged,  elated  at  the  effect  of  their  resistance, 
made,  on  the  30th,  a spirited  sortie,  but  were  repulsed,  and 
forced  to  retire  within  their  walls. 

On  the  first  of  April  a frigate  anchored  in  the  road  of 
Caiffa.  The  chef  d'escadron , Lambert,  knew  the  flag  to  be 
Turkish  : he  prevented  his  men  from  appearing : the  fri- 
gate, ignorant  that  Caiffa  was  in  the  hands  of  the  French, 
sent  her  longboat  on  shore,  with  the  officer  second  in  com- 
mand, and  20  men ; they  landed  with  composure,  but 
Lambert  surrounded  them  with  his  soldiers  and  made  them 
prisoners. 

The  British  ships  had  been  driven  from  Acre  by  a storm, 
which  occasioned  the  Turks  to  be  left,  for  some  days,  alone 
in  the  combat : it  happened  fortunately  for  them,  that  pre- 


214 


THE  LIFE  OF 


vious  arrangements  laid  Buonaparte  under  the  necessity  of 
drawing  off  a great  part  of  his  force  about  the  same  time. 

Dgezzar  had  sent  his  emmissaries  among  the  Naplou- 
zians,  and  to  the  cities  of  Sidom,  Damascus,  and  Aleppo  ; 
and,  with  them,  considerable  sums  of  money,  to  induce  all 
the  Mussulmen  in  those  parts,  who  were  capable  of  bearing 
arms,  to  rise  en  masse , for  the  purpose,  as  expressed  in 
the  firmans,  of  combatting  the  infidels.  This  measure  pro- 
duced a considerable  effect ; large  bodies  of  troops  were  as- 
sembling at  Damascus,  and  magazines  were  establishing  at 
the  fort  of  Tabarie,  which  was  occupied  by  the  Maugrabins. 

In  expectation  of  these  forces,  Dgezzar  caused  frequent 
sorties  to  be  made,  during  the  first  days  of  the  siege,  which 
the  French  supposed  to  be  with  a view  of  facilitating  the 
entry  of  those  forces  Buonaparte,  therefore,  was  anxious  * 
to  effect  a breach  before  their  arrival.  He  ordered  that  a 
lodgment  in  the  tower,  wherein  a breach  had  been  made, 
should  be  attempted  ; but  the  Turks  had  filled  the  breach 
in  such  a manner  with  sandbags,  timber,  and  bales  of  cot- 
ton, that  the  effort  was  impracticable  ; and,  for  want  of 
some  battering  cannon,  and  sufficient  stock  of  ammuni- 
tion, he  was  unable  to  commence  a new  attack.  In  the 
mean  time  he  laboured  to  establish  a mine  under  the  tower, 
to  blow  it  up,  which  would  have  laid  open  the  place.  This 
was  an  undertaking  of  great  importance;  but  the  Turks 
made  frequent  sorties,  and  hindered  the  operation. 

It  was  now  evident  that  the  place  could  not  be  taken  by 
a coup  dc  main  ; and  Buonaparte  saw  that  he  must  use  his" 
endeavours  to  prevent  the  reinforcements  reaching  the  town. 
General  Vial  was  dispatched  to  Tyre,  where  the  inhabitants 
had  armed  in  favour  of  the  pacha,  with  orders  to  make  him-  1 
self  master  of  the  place.  He  arrived,  after  a march  of 
eleven  hours,  through  roads  impassable  to  artillery,  and 
discovered,  on  entering  the  plain,  the  vestiges  of  an  ancient 
fortress,  and  of  two  temples.  At  the  approach  of  his  force, 
the  inhabitants  were  alarmed,  and  took  to  flight : he,  how- 
ever, quieted  their  apprehensions,  by  promising  to  protect 
them  ; and,  having  left  a garrison  of  200  men  to  guard  the 
place,  he  quitted  Tyre  on  the  5th  of  April. 

Buonaparte  was  informed  by  some  Christians  from  Da- 
mascus, that  a considerable  force,  composed  of  Mamelukes, 
janizaries  of  Damascus,  Deletians,  Allepins,  and  Maugra- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


215 


bins,  was  preparing  to  pass  the  Jordan,  in  order  to  join  the 
Arabs  and  Naplouzians,  and  to  attack  the  French  before 
Acre,  at  the  same  time  that  Dgezzar  should  make  a grand 
sortie,  supported  by  the  fire  of  the  English  vessels  ; he  was 
also  informed,  that  some  troops  had  passed  the  bridge  of 
Jacob  on  the  Jordan.  The  officer  who  commanded  the 
advanced  posts  at  Nazareth,  sent  intelligence  that  another 
column  had  passed  the  bridge  called  Jesre-el-Meckanie,  and 
had  advanced  to  Tabarie  ; that  the  Arabs  appeared  in  great 
numbers  at  the  entrance  of  the  mountains  of  Naplouze,  and 
that  Tabarie  and  Jenin  had  received  considerable  supplies 
of  provisions. 

The  general  of  brigade  Junot,  was  sent  to  observe  their 
motions  ; he  learned  that  the  Mahomedans  were  assembling 
in  considerable  numbers  on  the  heights  of  Loubi,  about 
four  leagues  from  Nazareth,  in  the  direction  of  Tabarie, 
and  that  some  of  them  had  advanced  to  the  village  of  Loubi. 
He  marched,  with  a part  of  the  second  light  infantry,  three 
companies  of  the  19th,  consisting  of  about  350  men,  and  a 
detachment  of  160  cavalry,  drafted  from  different  corps,  for 
the  purpose  of  reconnoitring.  At  a short  distance  from 
Ghasar-Kana,  he  perceived  the  enemy,  on  an  eminence  near 
Loubi ; he  pursued  his  march,  turned  the  mountain,  and 
found  himself  surrounded  in  an  adjoining  plain,  by  a body 
of  about  3,000  cavalry.  The  most  intrepid  of  these  rushed 
upon  his  force,  and  obliged  him  to  give  the  most  striking 
examples  of  courage  to  his  soldiers,  who  shewed  themselves 
worthy  of  their  intrepid  leader,  and  dispersed  the  assailants. 
General  Junot,  with  his  little  force,  gradually  gained  the 
heights  near  Nazareth,  on  which  route  he  fought  for  the 
space  of  two  leagues.  This  affair  cost  the  French  60  men ; 
which  was  a more  serious  loss  to  them  than  the  600  killed, 
of  the  natives  was  to  the  Turks. 

Buonaparte,  on  receiving  intelligence  of  this  engagement, 
ordered  general  Kleber  to  set  out  from  the  camp  before 
Acre  with  the  remainder  of  the  advanced  guard,  in  order 
to  join  general  Junot  at  Nazareth.  He  repaired  to  Nazareth 
for  a supply  of  provisions,  and  being  informed  that  the  en- 
emy had  not  quitted  their  position  near  Loubi,  he  deter- 
mined to  march  against,  and  to  attack  them  the  next  day, 
the  22d  Germinal.  Fie  had  scarcely  reached  the  heights  of 
Sed-Jara,  a quarter  of  a league  from  Loubi,  and  a league 


216 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  a half  from  Kuna,  when  the  enemy  descended  from  their 
elevated  position,  and  rushed  into  the  plain.  General  Kle- 
ber  was  immediately  surrounded  by  a body  of  nearly  4,000 
cavalry,  and  live  or  six  hundred  foot,  who  prepared  to 
charge  him  ; this  the  general  anticipated  by  attacking  the 
cavalry,  and,  at  the  same  time,  directing  a part  of  his  force 
against  the  enemy’s  camp,  near  Sed-Jara,  which  he  carried; 
the  enemy  abandoned  the  field  of  battle,  and  retreated  in 
disorder  towards  the  Jordan,  whither  he  could  not  pursue 
them  for  want  of  ammunition.  The  French  then  returned 
to  the  positions  of  Safarie,  and  of  Nazareth,  but  were  not 
long  suffered  to  remain  quiet,  as  the  hordes  lately  defeated 
were  joined  by  an  immense  body  of  Samaritans,  or  Na- 
plouzians.  The  entire  force,  according  to  general  Kleber’s 
accounts,  was  between  fifteen  and  eighteen  thousand  men  ; 
but  the  exaggerated  statements  of  the  inhabitants  of  the 
country  increased  their  numbers  to  forty  or  fifty  thousand. 
Buonaparte  learned,  also,  that  the  country  all  around  was 
rising  to  attack  the  posts  which  he  had  stationed  in  the  wil- 
derness, and  determined  that  a decisive  battle  should  be 
fought,  with  a view  of  effectually  subduing  a multitude, 
who,  taking  advantage  of  their  numbers,  harassed  him  with 
a desultory  warfare,  almost  to  the  verge  of  his  camp.  He 
thought  that  if  once  routed,  those  people,  who  were  under 
no  necessity  of  fighting,  would  place  little  reliance  on  the 
assurances  of  Dgezzar ; and  that  by  the  terror  of  his  arms 
he  should  convert  many  of  them  into  friends.  He  was  fully 
aware  of  the  disadvantages  which  would  attend  an  action 
near  his  position  before  Acre  ; he,  therefore,  gave  orders  for 
making  the  necessary  dispositions  for  the  attack  at  a distance, 
and  to  force  them  to  repass  the  Jordan.  The  route  from 
Damascus  in  crossing  the  Jordan,  is,  either  on  the  right  of 
the  lake  of  Tabarie,  by  the  bridge  of  Jacob,  at  three  leagues 
distance  from  which  is  situated  the  castle  of  Saffet ; or,  on 
the  left  of  that  lake,  by  the  bridge  of  Ei-Meckanie,  a short 
distance  from  the  fort  of  Tabarie.  These  two  fortresses  are 
to  the  right  of  the  Jordan. 

General  Murat  marched  from  the  camp  before  Acre  with 
1,000  infantry,  and  a regiment  of  cavalry.  He  was  order- 
ed to  proceed  with  all  possible  expedition  to  the  bridge  of 
Jacob,  of  which  he  was  to  take  possession,  in  order  to  at- 
tack in  tiie  rear  the  farce  that  invested  Saffet,  and  after- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


217 


wards  to  join  as  soon  as  practicable,  the  troops  under  gen- 
eral Kleber,  who  was  greatly  in  want  of  reinforcements; 
that  officer,  having  intimated  his  intentions  of  turning  the 
enemy’s  positions  at  Fouli  and  Tabarie,  and  to  endeavour  to 
to  surprise  them  by  night  in  their  camps. 

Buonaparte  left  the  siege  of  Acre  to  the  generals  Regnier 
and  Lasne,  and  set  out  from  the  camp,  with  the  remainder 
of  the  cavalry,  the  division  of  general  Bon,  and  eight  field 
pieces  ; he  took  a position  on  the  heights  of  Safarie,  where 
the  troops  were  all  night  under  arms.  He  marched  towards 
Fouli,  through  the  defiles  which  branched  among  the  moun- 
tains, and  arrived  at  the  heights,  from  whence  Fouli  and 
Mount  Tabor  can  be  seen ; he  perceived,  at  the  distance  of 
about  three  leagues,  the  division  of  general  Kleber  actually 
engaged  with  the  enemy,  whose  force  appeared  to  be  about 
25,000,  all  cavalry,  and  surrounding  the  French  troops, 
who  did  not  exceed  2,000.  Buonaparte  formed  his  force 

I into  three  squares,  one  of  which  was  cavalry,  and  prepared 
for  turning  the  enemy  at  a considerable  distance,  in  order 
ko  separate  them  from  the  camp,  cut  off  their  retreat  to 

II  Jenin,  where  their  magazines  were  established,  and  to  drive 
them  to  the  Jordan,  where  general  Murat  could  successful- 
ly, and  finally,  encounter  them.  The  cavalry,  under  the 
command  of  general  Le  Turq,  with  two  light  field  pieces, 
iwere  ordered  to  storm  the  camp  of  the  Mamelukes,  while 
the  infantry  advanced  against  the  main  body. 

General  Kleber,  on  the  march  from  his  camp  at  Safarie, 
had  been  led  astray  by  the  guides,  and  retarded  by  the  dif- 
ficulties of  the  way,  and  the  defiles  he  had  to  pass  ; he  was 
tnable  to  come  up  with  the  Mamelukes,  until  being  in- 
ormed  of  his  approach,  by  their  advanced  posts  on  the 
i leights  of  Harmon,  they  had  time  to  make  preparations  for 
ns  reception.  General  Kleber  formed  his  infantry  into  two 
quare  columns,  and  occupied  some  ruins  in  his  front.  The 
nemy  stationed  the  Naplouzian  infantry,  with  two  small 
jfileld  pieces,  brought  by  camels,  in  the  village  of  Fouli : all 
I he  cavalry,  to  the  amount  of  25,000  surrounded  the  army 
f Kleber,  but  without  success  ; every  effort  to  dislodge  it 
/as  defeated  by  superior  skill ; the  French  musketry  and 
rape  shot  did  considerable  execution. 

Buonaparte,  on  arriv  ing  within  half  a league  from  the 
:ene  of  action,  ordered  general  Ramp  on  to  march  directly 

28 


218 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  the  assistance  of  Kleber’s  division  and  to  attack  the  ene- 
my on  the  flanks  and  in  the  rear.  General  Vial  was  order- 
ed  to  proceed  to  the  mountains  of  Noures,  in  order  to  force 
the  enemy  towards  the  Jordan ; and  the  infantry  guides 
were  commanded  to  direct  the  course  of  the  remaining 
troops  towards  Jenin,  so  as  to  intercept  their  retreat  to  that 
quarter.  At  the  moment  the  columns  began  to  advance  in 
their  different  directions,  an  eight  pounder  was  discharged. 
Genera!  Kleber  knowing  by  this  signal  of  the  approach  of 
the  general  in  chief,  no  longer  remained  on  the  defensive, 
he  advanced  to  the  village  of  Fouli,  wlf  h he  attacked  and 
carried  by  the  bayonet ; he  then  advanced  rapidly,  towards 
the  cavalry,  putting  all  those  who  resisted  his  progress  to 
the  sword  ; at  the  same  time  generals  Rampon  and  Vial  cut 
off  the  retreat  of  the  enemy  towards  the  mountains  of  Na- 
plouze,  and  the  infantry  guides  shot  such  as  attempted  to, 
escape  towards  Jenin.  Disorder  and  hesitation  prevailed  ; 
the  enemy  saw  their  retreat  to  their  camp  intercepted,  they 
were  cut  off  from  their  magazines,  and  surrounded  by  their 
adversaries  on  all  sides ; at  length  they  determined  to  seek 
for  refuge  in  the  rear  of  Mount  Tabor  ; this  situation  they 
gained,  and  retreated  during  the  night,  over  the  bridge  o 
R l- Mechanic ; some,  in  endeavouring  to  pass  at  a ford,  were 
drowned  in  the  Jordan. 

General  Murat  had  driven  the  Turks  from  their  position 
at  the  bridge  of  Jacob,  surprised  the  son  of  the  governor  o 
Damascus,  carried  his  camp,  killed  a great  number  of  men 
raised  the  blockade  of  Saffet,  and  pursued  the  enemy  severa 
leagues  on  the  route  to  Damascus.  The  column  of  caval 
ry,  under  the  order  of  the  adjutant-general  Le  Turq,  hac 
surprised  the  camp  of  the  Mamelukes,  carried  off  500  cam- 
els, with  all  their  provisions,  killed  a great  number  of  men 
and  made  250  prisoners.  Whilst  the  army  remained  under 
arms  at  Mount  Tabor,  Buonaparte  resorted  to  his  usua 
mode  of  encouraging  the  troops,  by  representing  those  tri 
fling  advantages  as  affairs  of  the  greatest  consequence 
From  this  point,  intelligence  of  the  recent  successes  were 
dispatched  to  the  different  corps  occupying  Tyre,  Cesarea, 
the  cataracts  of  the  Nile,  ihe  Pelusian  mouths,  Alexandria 
tin-  posts  on  the  borders  of  the  Red  Sea,  at  the  ruins 
Kolsurn,  and  at  Arsinoe. 

The  Naplouzians  of  Noures,  Jenin  and  Fouli 


had  no 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


219 


ceased,  since  the  commencement  of  the  siege  of  Acre,  to 
attack  the  convoys  of  the  French  army,  to  keep  up  a cor- 
respondence withDgezzar,  and  to  give  him  every  assistance 
in  their  power ; these  hostile  proceedings  holding  out  a 
most  dangerous  example,  Buonaparte  ordered  these  villa- 
ges to  be  burned,  and  to  put  all  found  therein  to  the  sword. 
I General  Murat  advanced  to  Taborie,  where  he  took  posses- 
| sion  of  the  warlike  stores  and  great  quantities  of  provisions, 
i which  the  enemy  had  abandoned.  General  Kleber  took  a 
I position  at  Nazareth ; he  was  ordered  to  occupy  the  bridges 
of  Jacob  and  El-Meckanie,  the  castles  of  Saffet  and  Taborie, 
and  charged  narrowly  to  watch  the  banks  of  the  Jordan. 

The  result  of  the  battle  of  mount  Tabor  was,  the  discom- 
fiture of  25,000  cavalry,  and  10,000  infantry,  by  4,000 
French  troops ; the  capture  of  all  the  enemy’s  magazines 
in  these  parts,  and  their  flight  to  Demascus.  By  their  own 
' Accounts  their  loss  exceeded  5,000  men  ; and  they  were  at 
a loss  to  conceive  how,  at  the  same  moment,  they  could 
have  been  defeated  on  a line  extending  nine  leagues,  so 
little  notion  had  they  of  combined  operations. 

Buonaparte  now  returned  to  Acre,  imagining  that  he  had 
! accomplished  great  objects  ; but,  in  reality,  he  had  been 
! merely  promoting  the  views  of  the  British  and  Turkish 
commanders. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

j Buonaparte  now  being  informed  that  admiral  Perree 
was  before  Jaffa,  and  that  he  had  landed  three  24,  and  six  18- 
pounders,  with  a quantity  of  ammunition  ; he  gave  orders 
that  admiral  Gantheaume  should  cruise  with  the  frigates  be- 
tween the  coasts  of  Syria  and  Cyprus,  in  order  to  seize  on 
the  vessels  which  were  conveying  supplies  of  ammunition 
and  provisions  to  Acre.  Some  Arabs,  posted  in  the  envi- 
| rons  of  Mount  Carmel,  at  the  desire  of  sir  S.  Smith  and 
the  pacha,  interrupted  the  communications  of  the  French 
army.  General  La  Turq  was  sent,  with  a corps  of  300 
men,  in  order  to  disperse  them ; he  surprised  their  camp, 

‘ killed  61,  and  brought  away  800  head  of  cattle,  which  were 
af  great  service  to  the  army.  But  still  Buonaparte  had  ef- 


220 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fectecl  no  part  of  his  object,  and  was  further  from  its  attain- 
ment than  on  his  first  arrival,  for  the  British  commodore  had 
caused  such  formidable  works  to  be  erected,  that  all  further 
attempts  were  useless,  and  only  served  to  shew  the  general’s 
disregard  of  human  life.  At  the  end  of  one  month  after  the 
trenches  had  been  opened  before  the  town,  the  only  advan- 
tage that  Buonaparte  had  gained,  was,  that  his  army  had 
killed  major  Oldfield,  captain  Wilmot,  and  colonel  Philli- 
peau,  three  of  the  most  able  officers  in  the  English  army, 
with  an  immense  number  of  persons  of  less  consequence, 
in  the  numerous  sorties  that  were  made  from  the  garrison. 
The  ships  and  boats  in  the  port  continued  to  annoy  his  camp 
incessantly,  and  it  became  necessary,  in  the  opinion  of  Buo- 
naparte, that  decisive  measures  should  still  be  hazarded. 

On  the  25th  of  April,  a mine  intended  to  blow  up  the 
tower,  near  the  breach,  was  completed,  and  the  batteries 
were  opened  upon  the  place.  The  mine  was  set  fire  to,  but 
a subterraneous  passage  under  the  tower  presenting  a line 
that  weakened  the  resistance,  the  mine  blew  up  but  on  one 
side  of  the  tower,  and  the  breach  remained  in  such  a state 
as  to  be  as  difficult  of  access  as  before.  Buonaparte  ordered 
30  grenadiers  to  get  into  the  tower,  and  reconnoitre  its 
means  of  communication  with  the  rest  of  the  fortress ; they 
advanced  as  far  as  the  ruins  under  the  arch  of  the  upperj 
story,  but  the  allies,  who  kept  up  a communication  by 
means  of  the  narrow  vaulted  passages,  and  who  were  in 
possession  of  the  ruins  of  the  upper  arches,  showered  down 
such  quantities  of  burning  materials  upon  them,  that  those 
who  were  not  entirely  disabled  hastily  retreated. 

On  the  25th,  in  the  evening,  an  attempt  was  made  to  ef- 
fect a lodgment  in  the  first  story,  and  workmen  were  em- 
ployed several  hours  for  the  purpose  of  rendering  it  more 
practicable ; but  the  Turks  allowed  them  to  approach  the 
breach  only  to  get  them  within  their  power  ; they  threw 
down  burning  materials  upon  them,  and  compelled  them 
again  to  retire  from  the  tower. 

The  British,  in  order  to  defend  their  front  of  attack,  oi 
which  almost  all  the  cannon  were  dismounted,  ran  out  i 
ravelin  on  each  side  of  the  enemy’s  approach,  which  was 
worked  by  the  English  marines,  under  a constant  cannonade 
from  the  French  ; batteries  were  also  formed,  which  ad  van 
tageously  flanked  the  tower  and  the  breach.  The  English 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


221 


and  the  Turks  laboured  at  these  works  without  cessation, 
and  every  step  was  taken  to  increase  the  effect  of  the  fire 
from  the  flanking  batteries,  and  to  prepare  for  a counter 
attack  against  the  trenches  of  the  besiegers.  Under  cover 
of  the  fire  from  the  towers  and  elevated  walls,  they  formed 
their  outworks  with  a degree  of  facility;  and  it  was  evi- 
dently impossible  for  the  French  to  make  any  impression 
without  a far  superior  artillery,  and  a greater  quantity  of 
ammunition  than  they  were  provided  with : several  times 
did  they  carry  these  works,  but  were  always  driven  from 
them. 

On  the  1st  of  May  four  18-pounders  were  directed  against 
the  tower,  for  the  purpose  of  widening  the  breach  ; in  the 
evening  20  grenadiers  were  ordered  to  effect  a lodgment  in 
tower,  and,  in  some  measure,  succeeded ; but  they  were 
exposed  to  a cross  fire  of  the  marines  in  the  fosse,  and, 
feeling  the  impossibility  of  passing  through  the  tower,  de- 
sisted from  the  attempt.  At  the  moment  the  grenadiers 
were  mounting  the  breach  at  the  tower,  the  besieged  made 
| a strong  sortie  from  their  right ; they  were  charged  by  two 
: companies  of  grenadiers  with  such  impetuosity  and  effect, 
that  all  those  who  could  not  retire  under  the  protection  of 
i the  fire  from  the  gunboats,  were  cut  off  or  driven  into  the 
sea. 

Buonaparte  gave  orders  that  a second  breach  should  be 
made  in  the  curtain  of  the  fortifications  to  the  eastward  : a 
! sapping  against  the  fosses,  and  the  formation  of  a mine,  in 
; order  to  blow  up  the  counterscarp,  were  also  ordered.  Until 
| the  4th  of  May  the  works  and  operations  of  the  besiegers 
' and  the  besieged  were  carried  on  with  great  ardour  and  ac- 
tivity ; when  the  ammunition  of  the  French  began  to  fail, 
and  Buonaparte  ordered  the  fire  to  be  slackened.  Perceiv- 
! ing  this,  the  besieged  carried  on  their  sapping  with  greater 
I activity  than  ever,  particularly  that  on  the  right,  the  object  of 
I which  was  to  prevent  the  French  sapping  from  communi- 
I eating  with  the  new  mine.  At  ten  o’clock  at  night,  some 
companies  of  grenadiers  began  to  storm  the  outworks  ; the 
Turkish  advanced  guard  was  surprised,  many  of  them  put 
to  the  sword,  the  works  taken  possession  of,  and  three  of 
the  guns  spiked  ; but  the  fire  of  the  place,  to  which  these 
works  were  completely  exposed,  prevented  the  French  re- 
maining long  enough  to  destroy  them,  and  they  were  re- 


222 


THE  LIFE  OF 


entered  by  their  former  possessors.  The  main'  object  of 
the  besieged  was  to  counteract  the  mine,  which  was  intend- 
ed for  blowing  up  the  counterscarp  that  had  been  formed  in 
front  of  the  new  breach  in  the  curtain,  and  at  this  they  la- 
boured with  the  greatest  activity.  In  the  morning  of  the 
6th  they  made  extraordinary  exertions  for  the  purpose,  but 
not  succeeding  to  their  wishes,  they  immediately  deter- 
mined to  cut  through  their  counterscarp,  as  near  as  possible 
to  the  mine  ; at  three  o’clock  the  French  perceived  that  | 
they  were  opening,  by  a covert  sapping,  the  mask  of  the 
mine  ; Buonaparte  cannonaded  them,  but  the  mischief  was 
done;  the  mine  was  completely  counter-worked,  a vent 
opened,  and  the  framing  destroyed. 

The  old  breach  at  the  tower  now  appeared  the  only  point 
against  which  he  could  direct  his  attacks  with  any  prospect 
of  success.  Buonaparte,  therefore,  issued  orders,  that,  in 
the  night  between  the  6th  and  7th,  the  troops  should  pos- 
sess themselves  of  the  outworks,  which  were  erected  for 
flanking  the  breach,  and  particularly  that  which  crowned  [" 
the  glacis,  near  the  first  mine ; that  the  attack  should  be 
made  as  expeditiously  as  possible  ; and  that  all  those  who 
occupied  the  works  should  be  put  to  the  sword,  and  a 
lodgment  therein  secured.  These  orders  were  partly  effect- 
ed by  the  riflemen  of  the  87th,  and  a body  of  grenadiers,  ! 
who  gained  possession  of  the  works,  except  those  which  I 
crowned  the  glacis,  near  the  old  mine,  and  flanked  the  tow- 
er ; they  were,  however,  checked  by  the  terrible  fire  from 
the  town,  which  rendered  all  these  desperate  efforts  unavail- 
ing, and  compelled  the  goaded  soldiers  once  more  to  retire, 
with  great  loss. 

On  the  7th  of  May  thirty  sail  of  Turkish  ships  arrived 
at  Acre,  from  the  island  of  Rhodes,  laden  with  stores  and 
provisions  for  the  besieged,  and  brought,  besides,  a con- 
siderable reinforcement  of  troops ; they  were  under  convoy 
of  a caraval  and  several  armed  corvettes,  commanded  by 
Hassan  Bey.  Buonaparte  discovered  this  fleet  as  soon  as 
it  hove  in  sight;  and  anxious  that  some  decisive  operation 
should  take  place  before  the  arrival  of  the  succours,  gave  I 
orders  that  a renewal  of  the  attack  should  take  place  during  I 
the  night.  At  ten  o’clock  the  fire  of  the  besiegers  was  in-  1 
creased  ten-fold ; the  ravelins,  the  work  upon  the  glacis,  I 
and  the  tower  upon  the  breach,  were  all  carried,  and  a lodg-  I 

I 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


223 


ment  made  in  the  tower.  The  18th  and  32d  demi- brigades 
filled  up  the  newly  constructed  works  with  the  bodies  of 
their  slain  ; they  spiked  a number  of  cannon  ; and  neither 
suffered  the  determined  resistance  of  the  Anglo-Tarks,  nor 
the  tremendous  fire  from  the  batteries  to  retard  their  pro- 
gress. Never,  on  any  occasion,  was  more  valour  and  in 
trepidity  displayed  than  upon  this  occasion.  Generals  Bon, 
Vial,  and  Rampon,  were  at  the  head  of  the  demi-brigades, 
and  afforded  the  most  striking  examples  of  active  courage 
combined  with  cool  determination.  Boyer,  chief  of  the 
18th,  was  killed  in  this  attack  ; and  150  of  those  intrepid 
fellows,  seventeen  of  them  officers,  were  killed  and  wound- 
ed. 

The  flanking  fire  from  the  shipping  was,  as  usual,  plied 
to  the  utmost,  but  with  less  effect  than  heretofore,  as  the 
| French  had  thrown  up  epaulments  and  traverses  of  sufficient 
i thickness  to  protect  them  from  it.  The  guns  that  could  be 
worked  to  the  greatest  advantage  were,  a French  brass  18- 
pounder  in  the  Lighthouse  Castle,  manned  from  the  The- 
I seus,  under  the  direction  of  Mr.  Scroder,  master’s  mate, 
and  the  last  mounted  twenty-four  pounder  in  the  north 
ravelin,  manned  from  the  Tigre,  under  the  direction  of  Mr. 

' Jones,  midshipman  : these  guns  being  within  grape  distance 
of  the  head  of  the  attacking  column,  added  to  the  Turkish 
musketry,  did  great  execution,  and  were  highly  creditable 
i to  the  two  officers,  whose  indefatigable  vigilance  and  zeal 
merited  the  warmest  praise.  Two  sixty-eight  pound  car- 
■ ronades,  belonging  to  the  Tigre,  were  mounted  in  two 
germes  lying  in  the  mole,  and  worked  under  the  direction 
I of'  Mr.  Bray,  carpenter  of  that  ship,  threw  shells  into  the 
centre  of  the  French  column,  and  checked  it  considerably. 
Still,  however,  they  gained  ground,  and  general  Lasne  and 
Rombaud,  with  200  men,  made  a lodgment  in  the  second 
| story  of  the  north-east  tower  ; the  upper  part  being  entirely 
j battered  down,  and  the  ruins  in  the  ditch  forming  the  ascent 
by  which  they  mounted.  Daylight  discovered  the  French 
standard  on  the  outer  angle  of  the  tower.  The  fire  of  the 
besieged  was  much  slackened,  in  comparison  to  that  of  the 
besiegers,  and  the  flanking  fire  was  become  of  less  effect ; 
the  French  having  covered  themselves  in  this  lodgment,  and 
the  approach  to  it,  by  two  traverses  across  the  ditch  (which 
they  had  constructed  under  the  fire  that  had  been  opposed 


224 


THE  LIFE  OF 


to  them  during  the  whole  of  the  night)  and  which  were, 
composed  of  sand-bags,  and  the  bodies  of  their  dead  built 
in  with  them,  their  bayonets  only  being  visble  above  them, 
Hassan  Bey’s  troops  were  in  the  boats,  though,  as  yet,  but 
half  way  to  shore  : this  was  the  most  critical  point  of  the 
contest  for  the  English  and  Turkish  commanders,  and  their 
utmost  exertions  were  necessary  to  preserve  the  place  till 
the  boats  could  arrive.  Accordingly,  sir  Sydney  Smith 
landed  his  boats  at  the  mole,  and  took  the  crews  up  to  the 
breach,  armed  with  pikes.  The  enthusiastic  gratitude  of 
the  Turks-,  men,  women,  and  children,  at  sight  of  such  a 
reinforcement,  at  such  a time,  was  not  to  be  described. 
Many  fugitives  were  encouraged  to  return  to  the  breach, 
which  was  yet  defended  by  a few  brave  Turks,  whose  most 
destructive  missile  weapons  were  heavy  stones,  which,  stri- 
king the  assailants  on  the  head,  overthrew  the  foremost  down 
the  slope,  and  impeded  the  progress  of  the  rest.  Dgez- 
zar  Pacha  hearing  that  the  English  were  on  the  breach,  quit- 
ted his  station,  where,  according  to  the  ancient  Turkish 
custom,  he  was  sitting  to  reward  such  as  should  bring  him 
the  heads  of  the  enemy,  and  distributing  musket  cartridges 
with  his  own  hands,  and,  coming  behind  them,  pulled  them 
down  with  violence  ; saying,  “ If  any  harm  happened  to 
his  English  friends,  all  was  lost.”  This  amicable  contest,  !, 
as  to  who  should  defend  the  breach,  occasioned  the  rush  j 
of  Turks  to  the  spot,  and  thus  time  was  gained  for  the  ar- 
rival of  the  first  body  of  Hassan  Bey’s  troops.  The  garri- 
son, animated  by  the  appearance  of  such  a reinforcement, 
was  now  all  on  foot,  and  there  being  consequently  enough 
to  defend  the  breach,  sir  Sydney  Smith  gave  direc- 
tions to  the  colonel  Solomon  Aga,  to  get  possession  of 
the  enemy’s  third  parallel,  or  nearest  trench,  and  there  for- 
tify himself,  by  shifting  the  parapet  outwards.  The  gates 
were  opened,  and  the  Turks  rushed  out ; but  they  were 
not  equal  to  such  a movement,  and  were  driven  back  to  the 
town,  with  loss.  Mr.  Bray,  however,  protected  the  town- 
gate  efficaciously,  with  grape,  from  the  sixty-eight  poun- 
ders. The  sortie  obliged  the  enemy  to  expose  themselves 
above  their  parapets,  so  that  the  flanking  fire  brought  down 
numbers  of  them,  and  drew  their  force  from  the  breach, 
and  the  small  number  remaining  on  the  lodgment  were  kill- 
ed or  dispersed  by  a few  hand  grenades,  thrown  bv  Mr. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


225 


Savage,  midshipman  of  the  Theseus.  The  enemy  began 
a new  breach,  by  an  incessant  fire  directed  to  the  south- 
ward of  the  lodgment,  every  shot  knocking  down  whole 
sheets  -of  a wall  much  less  solid  than  that  of  the  tower,  on 
which  they  had  expended  so  much  time  and  ammunition. 
The  group  of  generals  and  aid- du- camps  which  the  shells 
from  the  sixty-eight  pounders  had  frequently  dispersed,  now 
re  assembled  on  Richard  Coeur  de  Lion’s  Mount.  Buo- 
naparte was  distinguishable  in  the  centre  of  a semicircle ; 
his  gesticulations  indicated  a renewal  of  the  attack,  and  his 
dispatching  an  aid-du-camp  to  the  camp  shewed  that  he 
waited  only  for  a reinforcement.  Sir  Sydney  made  his  ar- 
rangements accordingly,  and  gave  directions  for  Hassan 
Bey’s  ships  to  take  their  stations  in  the  shoal  water  to  the 
southward,  and  the  Tigre  received  orders  to  weigh,  and 
join  the  Theseus  to  the  northward.  A little  before  sun-set, 
a massive  column  appeared  advancing  to  the  breach  with  a 
solemn  step.  The  pacha’s  idea  was,  not  to  defend  the 
breach  this  time,  but  rather  to  let  a certain  number  of  the 
enemy  in,  and  then  close  with  them,  according  to  the  Tur- 
kish mode  of  war.  The  column  thus  mounted  the  breach 
unmolested,  and  descended  from  the  rampart  into  the  pa- 
cha’s garden,  where,  in  a very  few  minutes,  the  bravest 
and  most  advanced  among  them  lay  headless  corpses,  the 
sabre,  with  the  addition  of  a dagger  in  the  other  hand,  pro- 
, ving  more  than  a match  for  the  bayonet ; the  rest  retreated 
r precipitately  : and  general  Lasne,  who  was  seen  manfully 
encouraging  his  men  to  mount  the  breach,  was  carried  off 
wounded  by  a musket  shot.  Much  confusion  arose  in  the 
town  from  the  actual  entry  of  the  French,  it  having  been 
impossible,  my,  impolitic,  to  give  previous  information  to 
every  body  of  the  mode  of  defence  adopted,  lest  the  French 
should  come  to  a knowledge  of  it,  by  means  of  their  nu- 
• merous  emissaries.  The  French  now  imagined  that  their 
work  was  done,  and  pressed  forward  with  additional  courage, 
and  they  were  greatly  favoured  by  the  difficulty  that  the 
; Turks  found  in  distinguishing  their  friends  from  their  ene- 
mies. The  English  uniform,  which  had  hitherto  served  as 
a rallying  point  for  the  old  garrison,  wherever  it  appeared, 
was  now  mistaken  for  the  French,  the  newly  arrived  Turks 
not  distinguishing  between  one  hat  and  another  in  the  crowd ; 
and  thus  many  a severe  blow  of  a sabre  was  parried  by  the 

29 


226 


THE  LIFE  OF 


English  officers,  among  which  colonel  Douglass,  Mr.  Ives, 
and  Mr.  Jones,  had  nearly  lost  their  lives,  as  they  were 
forcing  their  way  through  a torrent  of  fugitives ; the  mistake 
was  corrected  by  the  pacha’s  exertions,  aided  by  Mr.  Trot- 
ter who  had  just  arrived  from  Hassan  Bey.  The  breach 
being  perfectly  practicable  for  fifty  men  abreast,  nothing  but 
the  most  determined  courage  could  resist  the  impetuosity  of 
the  French  troops;  a close  combat  ensued,  and  man  to  man 
fought  with  the  greatest  fury.  General  Rombaud  was  kill- 
ed, and  Buonaparte  saw  that  his  troops  were  likely  to  suffer 
so  much  by  continuing  the  contest,  that  he  gave  them  or- 
ders to  retreat. 

On  returning  to  their  camp,  the  French  learned,  through 
admiral  Gantheaume,  that  admiral  Perree,  while  cruising 
before  Jaffa,  had  taken  two  vessels,  that  had  separated  from 
the  Turkish  fleet ; on  board  of  these  were  found  six  pieces 
of  field  artillery,  a considerable  quantity  of  harnesses,  and 
provisions,  one  hundred  and  fifty  thousand  livres  in  specie, 
four  hundred  soldiers  and  the  commissary  of  the  T urkish  fleet. 
On  the  person  of  this  officer,  was  found  a statement  of  the 
number  of  troops  embarked  in  the  fleet,  and  of  the  quantity 
of  warlike  stores  and  provisions  ; and  the  French  under- 
stood from  him  that  the  fleet  made  part  of  an  armament  for 
an  intended  expedition  against  Alexandria,  combined  with 
one  which  Dgezzar  had  undertaken  by  land;  but,  that  on 
receiving  the  intelligence  of  the  unforeseen  attack  upon  St. 
Jean  d’ Acre,  they  had  dispatched  the  fleet,  together  with  the 
troops,  the  utmost  force  they  then  could  collect,  to  the  re- 
lief of  that  place.  This  change  in  their  destination  took 
place  at  the  pressing  request  of  sir  Sydney  Smith. 

During  the  day  and  night  of  the  9th  of  May  the  French 
batteries  continued  to  fire  ; the  10th,  at  two  o’clock  in  the 
morning,  Buonaparte  closely  viewed  the  breach,  and  gave 
orders  tor  a new  assault.  The  riflemen  of  the  different  di- 
visions, the  grenadiers  of  the  fifteenth  and  nineteenth,  and 
the  caribiniers  of  the  second  light  infantry,  mounted  the 
breach ; they  surprised  the  outposts,  and  put  those  found 
therein  to  the  sword ; but  their  progress  was  stopped  by 
some  newly  formed  entrenchments,  which  they  were  utter- 
ly unable  to  force  ; they  were,  therefore  obliged  to  retreat 
in  confusion.  The  firi:  g from  the  batteries  continued  the 
whole  day  ; at  four  in  the  afternoon  the  grenadiers  of  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


227 


twenty-fifth  demi-brigade  solicited  from  Buonaparte  the 
honour  of  being  permitted  to  begin  the  assault ; their  re- 
quest was  granted ; they  rushed  forward,  but  the  Anglo- 
T urkish  troops  had  formed  a second  and  a third  line  of  de- 
fence, to  force  which  required  an  entire  new  disposition ; 
the  troops,  therefore,  were  again  ordered  to  retreat.  The 
three  last  assaults  cost  the  army  about  two  hundred  killed, 
and  five  hundred  wounded  ; among  the  latter  was  general 
Bon,  who  afterwards  died  of  his  wounds.  The  adjutant- 
general  Fouler,  Venoux,  chief  of  the  twenty-fifth,  and  the 
assistants  to  the  adjutants- general,  Pinault  and  Gerbault, 
and  citizen  Crosier,  aid-de-camp  to  the  general  in  chief, 
were  also  mortally  wounded.  Citizen  Arrighy,  aid-de-camp 
to  general  Berthier,  and  the  assistants  to  the  adjutants-gen- 
eral,  Netherwood  and  Monpatris,  were  severely  wounded. 
The  rear  of  the  parallels,  and  the  whole  space  between  the 
two  armies,  was  covered  with  dead  bodies,  the  stench  of 
which  became  intolerable,  and  obliged  the  French  to  desist 
for  a time,  from  any  further  operation. 

Before  the  news  of  Desaix’s  movements  reached  the 
capital,  Buonaparte  had  arrived  there  from  Syria ; his  march 
had  spread  desolation  on  every  side,  andentailed  upon  him 
and  his  companions,  the  curses  of  every  city,  town,  and 
habitation,  from  the  ocean  to  the  desert.  He  reached  Cairo 
on  the  14th  of  June. 

Buonaparte  set  out  from  Cairo  on  the  14th  of  July,  with 
the  cavalry  and  infantry  guides,  the  grenadiers  of  the  18th 
and  32d,  the  riflemen,  and  two  pieces  of  cannon,  and  ad- 
vanced towards  the  pyramids  of  Gizah,  where  he  ordered 
general  Murat  to  join  him.  Arrived  at  the  pyramids,  his 
advanced  guard  pursued  the  Arabs  that  were  in  the  rear  of 
Murad  Bey,  who,  that  morning,  began  to  ascend  towards 
Fayurn;  a few  men  were  killed  in  this  pursuit,  and  several 
camels  taken.  General  Murat,  who  had  joined  the  general 
in  chief,  pursued  Murad  Bey  on  his  route  for  the  space  of 
five  leagues.  Buonaparte,  who  had  designed  to  halt  two 
or  three  days  at  the  pyramids  of  Gizah,  received  intelligence 
from  Alexandria,  that  a Turkish  fleet,  of  100  sail,  had  an- 
chored off  Aboukir,  on  the  11th  of  July,  and  manifested 
hostile  designs  on  Alexandria.  He  instantly  departed  for 
Gizah,  where  he  passed  the  night  in  making  his  disposi- 
tions ; he  ordered  general  Murat  to  proceed  to  Rahmanieh 


228 


THE  LIFE  OF 


with  his  cavalry,  the  grenadiers  of  the  69th,  those  of  the 
18th  and  32d,  the  eclaireurs,  and  a battalion,  which  was 
with  him,  of  the  13th.  A part  of  the  division  of  general 
Lasne  was  ordered  to  cross  the  Nile  in  the  night,  and  to 
repair  to  R.thmanieh  ; as  were  also  a part  of  general  Ram- 
pon’s  division.  The  artillery  destined  for  the  march  was 
also  put  in  motion  ; and,  during  the  night,  all  the  necessary 
orders  and  instructions  were  forwarded  to  the  different  pro- 
vinces with  the  utmost  haste. 

Buonaparte  wrote  to  general  Desaix,  to  spare  him  a part 
of  his  force,  and  to  let  general  Friant  fall  into  the  route  of 
Murad  Bey,  and  follow  him  with  his  flying  column  wherev- 
er he  went ; to  supply  the  fortress  of  Keneh,  in  Upper 
Egypt,  and  that  of  Cosseir,  upon  the  Red  Sea,  amply  with 
ammunition  and  provisions;  to  leave  100  men  in  each 
place ; to  observe  Cairo  closely  during  the  expedition  against 
the  Turks  at  Aboukir ; and  to  concert  measures  with  gene- 
ral Dugua,  commandant  at  Cairo,  for  the  security  of  the 
French  interests  in  that  quarter. 

General  Kleber  was  directed  to  advance  towards  Rosetta ; 
previously  leaving  a sufficient  number  of  troops  for  the  se- 
curity of  Damietta,  and  the  province.  General  Menou, 
who  was  gone,  with  a flying' column,  to  the  lakes  of  Natron, 
was  ordered  to  place  200  Greeks,  with  a piece  of  cannon, 
as  garrisons  in  the  convents,  which  it  was  thought  would 
make  excellent  places  of  defence  ; the  general  was  then  to 
join  the  force  at  Rahmanieh  with  the  rest  of  his  column. 
Buonaparte  left  Gizah  the  16th  of  July  and  arrived  on  the 
19th  at  Rahmanieh.  Generals  Lasne,  Robin,  and  Fugieres, 
who  were  employed  in  the  districts  of  Menuf  and  Garbieh, 
in  enforcing  the  payment  of  the  Miri,  joined  the  army  there 
the  20th  and  21st. 

Here  Buonaparte  received  intelligence  that  the  Turkish 
ships  had  landed,  near  the  fort  of  Aboukir,  on  the  12th, 
about  3,000  men,  with  artillery ; and  that  the  garrison,  the 
commandant  of  which  had  been  killed,  had  surrendered 
the  same  day.  The  French  commander  was  greatly  morti- 
fied at  this  event,  as  it  proved  that  the  soldiers  did  not 
think  the  expedition  worth  the  blood  that  had  been  shed  for 
it,  and  were  unwilling  to  spill  their  own.  At  Rosetta,  the 
adjutant-general,  Julien,  secured  his  provisions,  ammuni- 


tion, and  all  the  sick,  within  the  castle  ; but  he  remained 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


229 


in  the  town  with  about  200  men,  whom  he  had  under  his 
command,  and  maintained  public  confidence  and  tranquilli- 
ty in  the  province.  General  Marmont  (who  commanded  at 
Alexandria)  dispatched  intelligence  to  the  general,  that 
Aboukir  had  surrendered  on  capitulation  ; that  the  T urks 
were  employed  in  landing  their  artillery ; that  he  had  de- 
stroyed the  pontoons  which  the  French  had  constructed  over 
the  strait  which  joins  the  lake  Madie  with  the  road  of 
Aboukir ; that  he  was  informed  by  his  agents,  that  the  en- 
emy designed  to  besiege  Alexandria,  and  that  the  Turks 
were  about  15,000  strong. 

In  consequence  of  this  information,  Buonaparte  dispatch- 
ed general  Menou  to  Rosetta  with  a reinforcement  of  troops, 
with  orders  to  observe  the  motions  of  the  enemy,  and  to 
defend  the  entrance  of  the  Nile.  It  was  expected  that  the 
enemy,  elated  by  the  capture  of  Aboukir,  would  become 
enterprizing-,  and  proceed  either  against  Alexandria  or  Ro- 
| setta  ; but  the  general  learned,  with  disappointment,  that, 
j on  the  contrary,  they  were  forming  magazines  in  the  pe- 
j ninsula  of  AboUkir  ; that  they  were  forming  magazines  in 
the  fort,  and  organizing  the  Arabs,  and  that  they  waited  for 
the  co-operation  of  Murad  Bey,  and  his  Mamelukes,  before 
they  advanced.  It  was  obvious  that  the  enemy,  in  his  then 
situation,  would  daily  increase  his  strength  ; it  was,  there- 
fore, important  to  take  a position  whence  he  might  be  at- 
tacked with  equal  advantage,  whether  he  proceeded  against 
Rosetta  or  invested  Alexandria  ; such  a position,  whence, 
if  the  enemy  remained  at  Aboukir,  they  might  be  attacked, 
deprived  of  their  artillery,  or  bombarded  in,  and  compelled 
to  surrender. 

Buonaparte  chose  a position  at  the  village  of  Birkit,  as 
one  combining  those  advantages  ; it  is  situated  at  the  point 
> of  one  of  the  angles  of  the  lake  Madie,  and  from  which  he 
t could  march  with  equal  facility  to  Etko,  Rosetta,  Aboukir, 

1 or  Alexandria ; from  which  he  might,  besides,  confine  the 
■ enemy  to  the  peninsula  of  Aboukir,  render  his  communi- 
I cation  with  the  interior  more  difficult,  and  entirely  in- 
j tercept  the  expected  reinforcements  from  the  Arabs  and  the 
Mamelukes.  General  Murat,  with  the  cavalry,  the  drome- 
daries, the  grenadiers,  and  the  1st  battalion  of  the  69th, 
left  Rahmanieh  in  the  evening  of  the  20tn  of  July,  to  pro- 
ceed to  Birkit.  This  general  had  orders  to  open  a commu- 


230 


THE  LIFE  OF 


nication  with  Alexandria  by  detachments,  to  reconnoitre  the 
enemy  at  Aboukir,  and  to  advance  his  patroles  round  lake 
Madie,  as  far  as  Etko.  The  army,  as  well  as  the  head- 
quarters, took  its  position  at  Birkit  on  the  23d,  and  miners 
were  sent  to  clear  the  wells  at  Beda.  In  the  night  one  di- 
vision of  it  took  a position  at  Kafr-fin  and  the  other  at  Be- 
da ; head-quarters  were  removed  to  Alexandria  ; the  general 
in  chief  passed  the  rest  of  the  night  in  examining  the  re- 
ports of  the  situation  of  the  enemy  at  Aboukir  ; he  dispatch- 1 
ed  three  battalions  of  the  garrison  of  Alexandria,  under  the 
command  of  general  Destaing,  to  reconnoitre  the  enemy, 
take  a favourable  position  about  midway  between  Alexan- 
dria and  Aboukir,  and  to  clear  the  adjacent  wells.  Near 
his  intended  station  Destaing  received  intelligence  that 
general  Kleber  was  at  Fouah,  with  a part  of  his  division,  and 
following  the  x'oute  of  the  army,  pursuant  to  his  orders. 

According  to  the  reports  of  the  agents  and  reconnoitring 
parties,  Mustapha  Pacha,  commander  of  the  Turkish  army, 
had  landed  with  about  15,000  men,  a large  train  of  artillery, 
and  100  horses,  and  was  occupied  in  erecting  works 
and  entrenching  the  greater  part  of  his  force.  In  the  after- 
noon Buonaparte  removed  from  Alexandria,  with  the  head- 
quarters, to  a position  near  general  Destaing’s  station  and 
the  wells  between  Alexandria  and  Aboukir.  The  cavalry, 
under  general  Murat,  and  the  divisions  of  generals  Lasne 
and  Ratnpon,  were  ordered  to  follow  immediately  to  the 
same  station ; they  accordingly  arrived  early  on  the  morning 
of  the  25th,  together  with  a corps  of  400  cavalry,  from  Up- 
per Egypt ; at  day-break  the  army  began  to  move  ; the  ad- 
vanced guard  was  commanded  by  general  Murat,  who  had 
under  his  orders  400  cavalry,  together  with  general  Des- 
taing, and  three  battalions,  with  two  field  pieces.  The  di- 
vision of  general  Lasne  formed  the  right  wing  and  that  of 
general  Lannusse  the  left;  the  division  of  general  Kleber, 
expected  to  arrive  in  the  course  of  the  day,  was  to  form  the 
reserve.  The  train  of  artillery,  escorted  by  a squadron  of 
horse  followed  the  main  body  of  the  army.  The  general  of 
brigade  Davoust  with  two  squadrons  of  horse,  and  100  dro- 
medaries, was  directed  to  take  a position  between  Alexandria! 
and  the  army,  as  well  to  oppose  the  Arabs  and  Murad  Bey,| 
whose  arrival  was  hourly^  expected,  as  to  secure  the  com- 
munication with  Alexandria.  Orders  were  dispatched  tc 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  231 

i 

t 

general  Menou,  who  had  advanced  to  Rosetta,  to  proceed 
at  day-break  and  take  a position  at  the  extremity  of  the  neck 
of  land,  at  the  entrance  of  lake  Madie,  on  the  side  of 
Aboukir,  in  order  to  cannonade  and  keep  at  a distance  any 
vessels  of  the  enemy  that  might  be  on  the  lake,  and  attempt 
to  harass  the  enemy  on  that  side. 

Mustapha  Pacha  had  drawn  up  his  first  line  half  a league 
in  front  of  the  fort  of  Aboukir ; about  1,000  men  occupied 
an  intrenched  sand-hill  on  his  right,  dose  to  the  sea,  this 
was  supported  by  a village,  occupied  by  1,200  men,  with 
four  pieces  of  cannon.  The  left  wing,  which  consisted  of 
about  2,000  men,  with  six  pieces  of  cannon,  was  upon  a 
detached  sand-hill,  in  front  of  the  first  line  ; this  position, 
which  was  ill  fortified,  was  chosen  to  protect  the  wells,  that 
are  most  abundant  near  Aboukir.  Some  gunboats  appeared 
to  be  stationed  with  a view  to  protect  the  space  between  this 
position  and  the  second  line.  The  pacha’s  second  position 
was  about  300  toises  in  the  rear  of  the  village  ; his  centre  in 
and  near  the  redoubt,  which  he  had  taken  at  the  first  land- 
ing ; the  right  of  this  position  was  behind  an  entrenchment 
extended  from  the  redoubt  to  the  sea,  for  the  space  of  an 
150  toises;  his  left,  stretching  from  the  redoubt  towards 
the  shore  on  the  other  side,  occupied  some  low  sand-hills, 
on  the  verge  of  the  sea,  where  it  was  covered  by  the  fire 
both  of  the  x'edoubt  and  of  the  gunboats  ; in  the  second  po- 
sition were  nearly  7,000  men,  with  12  pieces  of  cannon ; 
150  toises  to  the  rear  of  the  redoubt  was  situate  the  village 
of  Aboukir,  and  close  to  it  the  fort,  these  were  occupied 
by  about  1,500  men.  Eighty  horsemen  formed  the  suite 
of  the  pacha,  who  had  the  chief  command  : and  the  Tur- 
kish squadron  was  at  anchor  in  the  road,  at  the  distance  of 
half  a league. 

After  a march  of  two  hours,  the  advanced  guard  came 
within  sight  of  the  enemy,  and  commenced  a discharge  of 
musketry.  Buonaparte  ordered  the  columns  to  halt,  and 
made  his  dispositions  for  the  attack.  The  general  of  bri- 
gade, Destaing,  with  his  three  battalions,  was  ordered  to 
carry  the  height  on  the  right  of  the  enemy,  which  was  oc- 
cupied by  about  1000  men  ; at  the  same  time  a piquet  of 
cavalry  were  sent  to  cut  olf  the  retreat  of  this  body  to. the 
village.  The  division  of  general  Lasne  was  to  advance  a- 
gainst  the  detached  sand-hill,  on  the  left  of  the  enemy’s  line. 


232 


THE  LIFE  OF 


where  2000  men  and  six  pieces  of  cannon  were  stationed  ; 
two  squadrons  of  horse  were  dispatched  to  observe  the  mo- 
tions of  this  corps,  and  to  endeavour  to  cut  off  its  retreat. 
The  rest  of  the  cavalry  were  to  advance  against  the  centre, 
and  the  division  of  general  Lannusse  was  to  remain  in  the 
second  line. 

General  Destaing  with  the  force  under  his  orders,  char- 
ged the  enemy  with  the  bayonet ; they  abandoned  their  in- 
trenchments,  and  retreated  towards  the  village,  but  the 
greater  part  of  the  fugitives  were  cut  down  by  the  cavalry. 
The  corps  against  which  the  division  of  general  Lasne  ad- 
vanced seeing  that  stationed  on  the  right  give  way,  and  that 
the  cavalry  was  about  to  turn  its  position,  attempted  to  re- 
tire, after  discharging  a few  cannon  shot ; but  the  two 
squadrons  of  cavalry  and  a platoon  of  guides  cut  of  its  re- 
treat, and  either  killed  or  precipitated  the  whole  corps  into 
the  sea.  General  Destaing’s  force  then  marched  against 
the  village,  which  was  nearly  in  front  of  the  centre  of 
the  pacha’s  second  line : this  post  he  turned  while  the 
thirty-second  demi-brigade  attacked  it  in  front.  The  Turks 
here  made  a spirited  resistance  ; a considerable  number  of 
men  were  detached  from  the  left  of  the  second  line  to  the  re- 
lief of  the  village  ; but  the  reinforcement  was  charged  and 
routed  by  the  cavalry,  who  drove  the  greater  part  of  the  fu- 
gitives  into  the  sea.  The  village  was  then  speedily  carried, 
and  its  defenders  pursued  as  far  as  the  redoubt,  which  was 
the  centre  of  the  second  position.  This  post  was  a very 
strong  one;  the  redoubt  was  flanked  by  a work  which  cov- 
ered the  peninsula  on  the  right  as  far  as  the  sea  ; another 
work  of  similar  constructidn,  extended  to  the  left,  but  to  a 
small  distance  from  the  redoubt ; the  rest  of  the  space  was 
occupied  by  Mustapha’s  troops,  who  were  posted  on  the 
sand-hills,  and  among  the  groves  of  palm-trees. 

While  the  troops  took  breath,  Buonaparte  ordered  sev- 
eral pieces  of  artillery  to  be  planted  at  the  village  and  along 
the  shore,  and  a fire  was  opened  on  the  enemy’s  right  and 
on  the  redoubt  ; general  Destaing’s  battalions,  drawn  up 
near  the  village  they  had  carried,  formed  the  centre  of  the 
line  of  attack,  and  fronted  the  redoubt  ; they  were  ordered 
to  advance.  General  Fugiers  received  orders  to  march 
along  the  shore,  in  order  to  force,  by  the  bayonet,  the  right 
wing  of  the  Turks.  The  thirty -second,  which  occupied 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


2?3 

the  left  of  the  village,  had  orders  to  hold  them  in  check, 
and  to  support  the  eighteenth.  The  cavalry,  which  was 
placed  on  the  right  of  the  army,  attacked  the  enemy’s  left, 
charging  it  several  times  with  great  impetuosity  : it  cut 

down,  or  drove  into  the  sea,  all  before  it ; but  they  could  not 
penetrate  beyond  the  redoubt  without  being  placed  between 
its  fire  and  that  of  the  gun-boats  ; from  this  terrible  situa- 
tion they  were  obliged  to  fall  back,  while  the  thinned  ranks 
of  the  Turks  were  supplied  by  fresh  troops. 

The  Turks,  deficient  indiscipline,  but  notin  ardour,  stood 
the  shock  of  the  French  artillery  with  the  greatest  courage, 
but  their  resistance  only  stimulated  the  courage  of  the 
French  cavalry  to  new  attacks  ; at  each  charge  they  rushed 
forward  to  the  very  fosse  of  the  redoubt  ; and,  though  ev- 
ery soldier  considered  himself  as  sent  upon  the  forlorn  hope, 
they  all  seemed  actuated  by  the  infernal  determination  to  do 
as  much  mischief  as  possible  before  they  died.  The  adju- 
tant-general Roze,  Bessiers,  chief  of  brigade  of  the  cavalry 
guides,  and  adjutant  Le  Turcj,  were  at  the  head  of  the  char- 
ges ; the  chief  of  brigade  Daviver,  was  killed.  The  horse 
artillery,  and  that  of  the  guides,  took  a position  in  face  of 
the  enemy’s  musketry,  whence,  by  a brisk  discharge  of 
grape  shot,  they  powerfully  contributed  to  the  success  of 
the  battle.  The  adjutant-general  Le  Turq  judged  that  a 
reinforcement  of  infantry  was  necessary  ; he  represented 
this  to  Buonaparte,  who  sent  him  with  a battalion  of  the  se- 
venty-fifth ; he  rejoined  the  cavalry,  but  his  horse  being  soon 
killed,  he  put  himself  at  the  head  of  the  infantry  ; with  this 
he  flew  to  the  centre  of  the  left,  to  join  the  eighteenth  demi- 
brigade,  which  he  saw  advancing  to  attack  the  intrench- 
ments  of  the  enemy’s  right.  The  eighteenth  continued  to 
advance  ; the  enemy,  at  the  same  time  made  a sortie  from 
their  position  on  the  right,  and  engaged  the  fronts  of  the 
columns,  man  to  man  ; the  Turks  endeavoured  to  wrest  the 
bayonets  from  the  French  ; in  despair  they  slung  their  own 
' muskets  behind  them,  and  fought  with  the  sabre  and  pistol, 
i At  length  the  eighteenth  reached  the  intrenchments,  but 
the  fire  of  the  redoubt,  which  every  where  flanked  the 
trenches,  behind  which  the  enemy  had  again  rallied,  stop- 
i ped  the  column.  General  Fugiers,  and  the  adjutant-gener- 
al, Le  Turq,  displayed  prodigies  of  valour  ; the  former  re- 
ceived a wound  in  the  head ; he  continued,  nevertheless,  to 

30 


234 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fight  ; soon  after  a ball  carried  away  his  left  arm,  and  he 
was  constrained  to  follow  the  movements  of  the  eighteenth, 
which,  in  the  greatest  order,  and  maintaining  a brisk  fire,  re* 
treated  to  the  village.  The  adj  utant-general  Le  Turq,  hav- 
ing vainly  exerted  himself  to  determine  the  column  to  throw 
itself  into  the  enemy’s  entrenchments,  leaped  into  them  him- 
self— but  he  was  cut  down  by  a sabre,  and  mixed  among 
the  dead  ; the  chief  of  brigade,  Morangei,  was  previously 
wounded,  and  twenty  of  the  eighteenth  were  killed  upon 
the  spot.  The  Turks,  in  face  of  the  heavy  fire  from  the 
village,  darted  from  their  entrenchments,  in  order  to  cut  off 
the  heads  of  the  dead  and  wounded,  that  they  might  ob- 
tain the  silver  aigriette,  which  their  government  bestows  on 
every  soldier  who  brings  the  head  of  an  enemy. 

The  general  in  chief  had  ordered  a battalion  of  the  twen- 
ty-second light  infantry,  and  another  of  the  sixty -ninth,  to 
advance  upon  the  left  of  the  enemy  ; general  Lasne,  who 
was  at  their  head,  seized  the  moment  in  which  the 
Turks  had  imprudently  quitted  their  intrenchments,  to  storm 
the  redoubt ; he  attacked  it  with  the  greatest  vigour  on  the 
left  flank  and  on  its  gorge  ; the  22d,  the  69th  and  a bat- 
talion of  the  75th,  leaped  into  the  ditch,  were  soon  upon  the 
parapet  and  within  the  redoubt ; at  the  same  time  the  18th 
charged  the  right  of  the  enemy  with  the  bayonet.  General 
Murat,  who  then  commanded  the  advanced  guard,  took  ad- 
vantage of  the  moment  in  which  general  Lasne  stormed  the 
redoubt,  to  order  the  cavalry  to  charge,  and  to  break  through 
all  the  positions  of  the  enemy,  to  the  very  ditches  of  the 
fort : this  order  was  executed  with  such  vigour  and  effect, 
that  at  the  moment  the  redoubt  was  forced,  the  cavalry 
were  on  the  spot  to  cut  off  the  enemy’s  retreat  to  the  fort. — 
The  rout  of  the  Turks  was  complete,  and  they  beheld 
death  on  every  side  ; the  infantry  charged  them  with  the 
bayonet ; the  cavalry  cut  them  down  with  the  sabre.  No 
alternative  but  the  sea  remained  ; to  this  sad  resource  they 
fled,  as  a last  refuge.  Several  thousands  committed  them- 
selves to  the  waves  ; showers  of  musketry  and  grape-shot 
followed  them  ; never  chd  so  terrible  a sight  present  itself : 
few  of  them  survived  ! as  the  ships  were  too  far  distant  for  I 
the  greater  part  to  reach  them.  Mustapha  Pacha,  the  com- 1 
mander  in  vihief  of  the  Turkish  army,  and  200  men  were  I 
made  prisoners  ; about  2,000  were  killed  in  the  field  of  bat- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


235 


tie  ; all  the  tents  and  baggage,  and  twenty  pieces  of  can- 
non fell  into  the  hands  of  the  French.  The  fort  of  Abou- 
kir  did  not  fire  a shot ; all  within  were  panic  struck.  A fi  g 
of  truce  was  sent  out,  by  which  it  appeared  that  the  fort 
was  defended  by  1,200  men  ; it  was  proposed  to  them  to 
surrender ; some  were  inclined  to  agree,  while  others  refu- 
sed ; the  day  was  spent  in  parleying  ; at  length  a position 
was  taken,  and  the  wounded  were  removed.  Many  of  the 
French  officers  died  of  their  wounds.  In  the  night  the 
Turkish  squadron  communicated  with  the  shore  ; the  gar- 
rison was  re-organised  and  defended  the  fort : and  batteries 
of  cannon  and  mortars  were  erected  by  the  French  for  its 
reduction. 

On  the  26th  of  July  the  fort  was  summoned  to  surren- 
der. The  son  of  the  pacha,  his  kiaya,  and  the  officers  were 
willing  to  capitulate,  but  the  soldiers  refused.  On  the  27th 
the  bombardment  was  continued  ; on  the  28th  several  bat- 
teries were  erected  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  isthmus, 
some  gun-boats  were  sunk,  and  a frigate  was  dismasted  and 
forced  to  put  to  sea.  The  same  day  the  besieged,  who  be- 
gan to  want  provisions,  got  into  some  houses  of  the  village 
which  joined  the  works  ; general  Lasne  approached  to  at- 
tack them,  but  was  severely  wounded  in  the  leg  ; general 
Menou  succeeded  him  in  the  command  of  the  siege.  On 
the  30th  general  Davoust  forced  the  trenches,  and  those 
houses  wherein  the  Turks  were  lodged,  and,  after  some 
slaughter,  drove  them  into  the  fort. 

On  the  2d  of  August  general  Robin  made  himself  mas- 
ter of  the  trenches ; batteries  were  raised  on  the  counter- 
scarp, and  the  mortars  played  with  vigour  ; the  fort  was  lit- 
tle more  than  a heap  of  stones.  The  besieged  had  now  no 
communication  with  the  squadron,  and  were  in  extreme 
want  of  provisions,  yet  they  did  not  capitulate,  but  threw 
down  their  arms,  and  surrendered  at  discretion.  The  son 
of  the  pacha,  the  kiaya,  and  the  governor,  were  made  pris- 
oners ; thus,  a combination  of  talents  and  skill  had  subdu- 
ed the  energies  of  physical  power.  This  victory  had  a di- 
rect tendency  to  establish  the  French  dominion  in  Egypt, 
by  shewing  the  dreadful  consequences  of  opposing  them  ; 
but  they  were  rapidly  wasting,  and,  as  they  had  no  means 
of  recruiting  their  strength,  a victory  obtained  at  the  ex- 
pense of  a few  hundreds  of  men,  was  equal  to  a defeat.  The 


236 


THE  LIFE  OF 


1 


general  saw  that  he  was  likely  to  be  assailed  on  every  side, 
and  that  he  could  not  strengthen  one  frontier  without  weak- 
ening another  ; but,  from  the  prisoners  captured  at  Abou- 
kirhe  learned,  with  the  utmost  chagrin  and  mortification, 
that  lie  was  entirely  superseded  in  the  grand  object  of  his 
expedition ; for  the  English  had  penetrated  his  design  of 
co-operating  with  Tippoo,  and  had  overthrown  that  mon- 
arch, and  seized  all  his  territories,  by  which  the  influence  of 
France,  in  the  East  Indies,  was  perfectly  annihilated.  Egypt 
itself  had  now  lost  half  its  value,  and  the  mind  of  Buona- 
parte, naturally  sullen,  retired  within  itself.  He  was  never 
cheerful,  unless  to  disguise  the  secret  bodings  of  his  soul ; 
and  he  now  looked  upon  none  as  his  friends  but  those  who 
soothed  him  with  copious  draughts  of  flattery.  He  saw 
but  few  persons,  and  conversed  freely  with  none.  Berthier 
and  Menou  seemed  to  have  most  of  his  confidence.  He 
did  but  little  business,  and  it  was  easy  for  any  acute  obser- 
ver to  see  that  he  was  conscious  of  having  failed ; but 
though  he  regarded  the  expedition  as  having  miscarried,  he 
had  not  courage  to  believe  that  any  other  person’s  views  cor- 
responded with  his  own. 

The  hopes  of  Egypt  were  now  all  transported  to  France, 
whilst  those  of  France  were  centered  in  Egypt ; so  power- 
ful is  the  propensity  in  mankind  to  rely  upon  any  other  ex- 
ertion than  their  own.  It  has  already  been  stated  that  the 
communication  between  France  and  Egypt  was  cut  off  by 
the  English  cruisers,  and  the  allies  had,  by  this  means, 
kept  the  two  countries  ignorant  of  each  other’s  situation,  an 
advantage  far  inferior  to  that  of  being  themselves  acquaint- 
ed with  the  real  state  of  the  new  colony  ; for  it  became  ev- 
ident to  the  British  government,  upon  the  perusal  of  these 
dispatches  and  letters,  that  Buonaparte  could  not  long  main- 
tain himself  in  the  new  settlement.  Such  of  the  intercept- 
ed letters  as  it  was  thought  fit  to  print  were  published  by 
authority  of  the  English  government  ; and  it  appeared  by 
these  papers,  that,  from  his  entering  upon  the  expedition  to 
Egypt,  the  general  had  altered  the  orthography  of  his  name 
and  descended  from  Buonaparte  into  a Bonaparte,  all  his 
public  acts  being  so  signed.  To  the  French  government 
it  appeared  highly  important  that  a maritime  force  should 
be  collected  to  enable  the  republic  to  recover  the  command 
in  the  Mediterranean.  Early  in  the  spring  the  British  had 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


237 


not  more  than  15  sail  in  that  sea,  the  rest  of  the  navy  being 
employed  in  watching  the  different  coasts  of  the  ocean,  and 
every  harbour  being  carefully  blockaded  The  fleet  in  Brest 
harbour  seemed  so  entirely  unprovided  with  almost  every 
necessary,  that  no  apprehensions  were  entertained  of  its  dar- 
ing to  put  to  sea  in  haste.  The  news,  however,  of  its  be- 
ing actually  at  sea,  arrived  at  Plymouth  on  the  30th  of  April, 
when  14  sail  of  the  line  immediately  set  sail  from  Spithead, 
the  greater  part  of  which  were  appointed  to  reinforce  the 
fleet  under  lord  Bridport,  who  had  at  sea  24  sail  of  the  line 
and  six  frigates  by  the  10th  of  May,  and  in  a few  days  af- 
ter was  joined  by  admiral  Collingwood.  A squadron  of 
five  saii  of  the  line  and  three  frigates,  was  sent,  under  vice- 
admiral  VY  hitshed,  to  reinforce  that  of  lord  St.  Vincent, 
then  before  Cadiz  ; and  vice-admiral  Dixon  sailed  from 
Yarmouth  with  five  sail  of  the  line  to  reinforce  that  before 
the  Texel,  and  of  which  lord  Duncan  took  upon  him  the 
: command,  having  received  an  additional  force  of  five  Rus- 
j sian  vessels,  under  admiral  Tate. 


Seven  long  years  had  Europe  now  been  spilling  her  best 
blood,  without  having  advanced  a single  step  towards  her 
object,  and  without  being  able  to  devise  any  means  by  which 
peace  could  possibly  be  obtained.  The  allies  had  coalesced, 
but  were  by  no  means  united,  and  the  French  were  ulti- 
mately tranquil,  though  very  far  from  settled.  Peace  was 
equally  desirable  to  both  sides,  but  the  different  cabinets 
seemed  to  be  cursed  by  such  a spirit  of  blindness  that  nei- 
ther of  them  could  discern  its  true  interest.  Such  was  the 
perverse  state  of  things  whilst  our  hero  was  shut  up  in  the 
’gloom  of  disappointment  at  Alexandria;  and,  though  he 
■ could  not  foresee  exactly,  whether  peace  or  war  would  be 
j most  conducive  to  his  interests,  it  was  certain  that  nei- 
ther his  interests  nor  views  would  be  promoted  by  the  defeat 
of  the  French. 

So  perfectly  agreed  were  all  his  friends  upon  this  point, 
that  no  doubt  was  entertained  at  Paris,  that,  if  he  could  but 
be  made  acquainted  with  the  true  state  of  things,  he  would 


CHAPTER  XV. 


238 


THE  LIFE  OF 


hazard  much  to  return  to  the  seat  of  government,  and  would, 
in  so  doing,  be  able  to  recover  the  glory  of  France  and  add 
much  to  his  own.  The  turn  that  the  affairs  of  Egypt  had 
taken  deprived  him  of  all  further  attachment  to  that  crusade, 
and  he  was  brooding  over  the  disgrace  and  mortification 
that  would  follow  his  failure,  when  means  were  found  of 
making  known  to  him  the  events  that  had  occurred,  and  the 
wishes  of  his  friends.  A person  of  nice  sensibility  would 
have  been  greatly  embarrassed  upon  such  an  occasion,  and 
the  idea  of  deserting  his  companions  and  followers,  just  at 
the  moment  when  accumulating  dangers  rendered  his  assist- 
ance more  than  ever  necessary,  would  have  been  regarded 
by  some  persons  as  an  instance  of  baseness  and  cowardice 
too  shocking  to  be  practised.  Not  so,  Buonaparte — he 
wanted  an  excuse  to  abandon  his  project,  and  he  had  found 
one  ; he  collected  a few  of  his  most  obsequious  followers, 
and,  clandestinely,  quitted  Egypt  in  their  company,  with- 
out giving  the  shortest  notice  of  his  design. 

As  soon  as  he  had  resolved  to  return  to  France,  Buona- 
parte ordered  admiral  Ganteaume  to  get  ready  for  sea  the  two 
frigates  that  lay  at  Alexandria;  general  Menou  was  entrusted 
with  the  secret  just  time  enough  to  apprise  the  persons  who 
were  to  be  of  the  party  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  at- 
tend the  general,  and,  on  the  23d  of  August,  at  one  o’clock, 
says  Denou,  “ we  were  told  that  Buonaparte  waited  in  the 
road  ; an  hour  after  we  were  at  sea.”  At  his  departure  the 
general  left  the  following  address  to  the  army  : 

Buonaparte,  commander  in  chief  to  the  army. 

Head-quarters,  Alexandria,  August  22d,  1799 

u In  consequence  of  the  news  from  Europe,  I have  deter 
mined  to  return  immediately  to  France.  I leave  the  com 
mand  of  the  army  to  general  Kleber  ; they  shall  hear  from 
me  speedily ; this  is  all  I can  say  to  them  at  present.  It 
grieves  me  to  the  heart  to  part  from  the  brave  men  to  whom 
I am  so  tenderly  attached  ; but  it  will  be  only  for  an  instant ; 
and  the  general  I leave  at  their  head  is  in  full  possession  of 
the  confidence  of  the  government  and  of  mine. 

Bonaparte.” 

T o persons  wholly  unacquainted  with  maritime  affairs,  it 
may  seem  extraordinary,  that,  at  a time  when  it  was  under- 
stood the  British  government  kept  all  the  ports  of  Egypt,  as 
it  were,  hermetically  sealed,  Buonaparte  should  have  vem 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


239 


tured  to  defy  its  vigilance,  and  enter  upon  so  dangerous  a 
voyage.  Such  persons  will,  however,  be  much  more  sur- 
prised to  find,  that  in  the  midst  of  so  diligent  a look-out, 
this  terrific  commander  could  put  to  sea  unobserved,  and 
again  traverse  the  Mediterranean,  without  being  met  by  one 
single  vessel  belonging  to  a nation  which  spent  that  year 
13,647,000/.  to  purchase  the  dominion  of  the  ocean  ! Per- 
sons of  this  sort  were  heard  to  charge  the  British  admiralty 
with  negligence  on  account  of  this  escape,  but,  Buonaparte 
himself,  who  was  less  displeased  upon  the  occasion,  attri- 
butes it  to  his  “ good  fortune. ” 

On  his  voyage  nothing  remarkable  happened  ; and  it  is 
only  said  of  it,  that  he  sometimes  played  and  laughed  with 
his  companions,  and  amused  himself  with  geometry  and 
chemistry  on  board  ship.  On  arriving  off  the  coast  of  Cor- 
sica, a storm  obliged  the  vessel  to  enter  the  port  of  Ajaccio, 
his  native  town,  where  the  reception  he  met  with  from  his 
countrymen  was  precisely  such  as  the  eclat  of  his  victories 
was  calculated  to  procure.  At  Corsica  he  learned  the  ex- 
tent of  the  calamities  that  France  had  suffered,  and  again  set 
: out  for  the  French  coast,  of  which  he  was  within  sight,  when 
the  sailors  discovered  some  English  ships,  amounting  to 
! seven  sail.  The  topmasts  were  lowered  with  a view  to  es- 
cape observation,  and  it  was  proposed  to  return  to  Corsica ; 
but  Buonaparte  assumed  the  command,  and  insisted  upon 
making  lor  the  coast  of  Provence,  where  he  arrived  safe,  in 
the  midst  of  an  astonished  multitude,  who  refused  to  credit 
the  fact  upon  the  mere  hoisting  of  his  flag  at  the  mast-head, 
and  were  only  convinced  of  the  reality,  when  they  beheld 
him  in  the  bosom  of  their  encircling  crowds.  When  the 
directory  at  Paris  were  informed  that  Buonaparte  had  landed 
at  Frejus,  from  Egypt,  they  made  known  the  general’s  ar- 
rival to  the  two  councils,  who  received  the  message  with 
cries  of  vive  la  republique  ! The  general  remained  at  Frejus 
only  one  hour,  while  a carriage  was  procured  to  take  him  to 
I Paris,  and  he  arrived  at  the  capital  on  the  16th  of  October, 
being  hailed  on  every  side,  during  his  journey,  with  the  cry 
of  “ peace  ! peace  !”  as  if  the  nation  sighed  for  that  blessing 
only,  and  expected  it  at  his  hands  alone. 

It  is  a peculiarity  in  the  history  of  this  extraordinary 
character,  that  a great  variety  of  circumstances  have  always 
combined  to  promote  his  interest  upon  occasions  when  it  is 


240 


THE  LIFE  OF 


extremely  probable  that  his  own  intrinsic  merit  would  have 
produced  him  little  or  no  advantage.  The  circumstance  of 
his  departure  from  France,  with  the  flower  of  the  army,  at 
a moment  when  the  country  was  most  precariously  situated, 
would,  of  itself,  have  marked  him  out  as  an  object  of  pub- 
lic resentment  at  any  other  time ; but  the  almost  total  anni- 
hilation of  that  army,  and  such  a loss,  aggravated  by  its  a- 
bandonment  on  a distant  and  inhospitable  shore,  must  have 
drawn  upon  him  the  execrations  of  every  Frenchman,  had 
not  France  have  found  herself  humbled  to  the  very  dust  by 
the  terror  and  apprehensions  arising  from  her  situation,  in- 
ternal, as  well  as  external. 

In  proceeding  to  sketch  the  biography  of  Buonaparte,  the 
rapid  succession  of  important  events  have  not  afforded  an 
opportunity  of  offering  to  the  attention  some  facts,  which, 
notwithstanding,  are  necessary  to  be  noticed ; they  occurred 
from  time  to  time  under  various  circumstances,  and  in  dif- 
ferent situations ; and  they  are  now  introduced  to  illustrate 
the  character  and  conduct  of  the  hero. 

It  is  related,  in  proof  of  the  liberality  of  Buonaparte,  that 
when  the  preliminaries  of  Leoben  were  signed,  the  emperor 
sent  three  of  the  principal  nobility  of  his  court  as  hostages, 
and  that  Buonaparte,  having  invited  them  to  dine  with  him, 
said  to  them  on  the  dessert  being  brought  in,  “ Gentlemen,  i 
you  are  free. — Tell  your  master  that  if  his  imperial  word  re- 
quires a pledge,  you  cannot  serve  as  such;  and,  if  it  re- 
quire  none,  that  you  ought  not.” 

Buonaparte’s  impatience  of  control  was  often  manifested  1 
during  the  period  he  held  his  appointment  of  the  directory. — 1 
At  the  time  when  he  commenced  the  negociations  which  > 
were  concluded  by  the  peace  of  Leoben,  he  had  determined 
not  to  return  to  Paris  till  he  might  appear  there  with  the 
double  eclat  of  a conqueror  and  a pacificator.  He  remained 
at  the  castle  of  Passeriano,  near  Udina,  and  in  Italy,  till  the 
treaty  was  signed.  Fie  had  frequently  been  recalled  by’  the 
director}’,  but  he  always  neglected  to  notice  their  orders,  I 
and  began  to  shew  a degree  of  hauteur  which  little  corres-  I 
ponded  with  his  former  apparent  modesty  ; he  refused  to  ac  - I 
cept  any  generals  into  his  army  whom  he  did  not  approve,  I 
and  sent  home  only  so  much  of  the  contributions  levied  I 


During  the  discussions  of  Leoben  his  irritability  of  tem- 


Italy  as  he  thought  proper. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


241 


per  often  shewed  itself.  He  was  always  treated  with  the 
greatest  deference  by  the  plenipotentiaries,  but  he  was  fre- 
quently so  much  chagrined  by  the  tediousness  of  German 
forms,  that  he  behaved  to  them  very  cavalierly  : finding  the 
first  article  of  the  proposed  preliminaries  to  contain  an  ac- 
knowledgment of  the  French  republic,  he  exclaimed  with 
indignant  warmth,  “ The  French  republic  is  like  the  sun  in 
the  firmament,  and  blind  are  they  who  do  not  acknowledge 
its  splendour.”  The  article  was  immediately  erased.  At 
one  time  having,  upon  some  account  or  other,  supposed 
that  his  colleagues  had  not  treated  the  republic  with  suffi- 
cient respect,  or  listened  with  sufficient  attention  to  his  pro- 
posals, he  took  up  a china  jar,  that  stood  near  him,  and, 
dashing  it  on  the  ground,  exclaimed,  “ Since  you  provoke 
me,  thus  will  I reduce  you  to  powder.”  The  marquis  de 
Gallo  conducted  himself  with  the  greatest  address  and  pru- 
dence, and  so  much  did  he  dread  lest  the  petulance  of  Buo- 
naparte’s temper  might  put  an  end  to  the  negociations,  that, 
one  day,  when  the  French  general  bad  hastily  quitted  the 
room  in  a pet,  he  ran  after  him,  but  not  being  able  to  over- 
take him,  said,  obsequiously,  to  one  of  his  aids-de-camp, 
“ Tell  him,  however,  that  1 followed  him  to  his  carriage.” 
Another  day,  after  a very  long  d . bate,  Buonaparte  said  with 
great  warmth,  “ Well  then,  I will  carry  my  answer  to  Vi- 
enna.” 

His  love  of  conquest  may  be  observed  in  the  pains  that 
he  took,  after  he  had  revolutionized  Italy,  to  take  possession 
of  the  Greek  isles  that  had  belonged  to  the  republic  of  Ve- 
nice. He  sent,  from  thence,  a small  fleet  with  a handful  of 
troops  on  board,  commanded  by  general  Gentili ; and  his 
letter  to  the  directory,  giving  an  account  oi  the  success  of 
the  expedition,  contains  some  curious  particulars,  and  shews, 
at  the  same  time,  how  much  he  was  flattered  by  conquering 
in  the  name  of  the  great  nation,  those  inconsiderable  islands, 

; which  are  so  celebrated  in  ancient  lore.  The  following  is 
an  extract  from  his  dispatch  : 

“ The  10th  Messidor,  our  troops  landed,  and  were  re- 
ceived on  shore  by  an  immense  crowd  of  people,  who  tes- 
tified their  joy  by  shouts  of  enthusiasm,  such  as  never  tails  to 
miniate  those  who  recover  their  liberty.  At  the  head  of  the 
.>eople  was  their  papa , or  first  minister  of  religion,  a weil- 
nlormed  man,  and  seemingh  very  old ; he  came  up  to 

31 


242 


THE  LIFE  OF 


general  Gentili,  and  addressed  him  in  these  words— • 
‘Frenchmen,  you  will  find  in  this  island  a people  extreme-  . 
ly  ignorant  of  those  arts  and  sciences  which  ilmstrate  other 
nations ; but  despise  them  not  on  that  account,  they  may 
one  day  become  again  what  they  were  before.  Learn,  in 
reading  this  book,  to  respect  them.  The  general  opened 
the  book,  with  great  curiosity,  which  the  papa  had  pre- 
sented to  him,  and  was  not  a little  surprised  to  see  that  it 
was  the  Odyssey  of  Homer. — The  islands  of  Zante,  Cepha- 
lonia,  and  St.  Maure,  have  expressed  the  same  ardent  wish- 
es for  liberty,  and  hope  that,  under  the  protection  of  the 
great  nation,  they  will  recover  their  long-lost  arts,  sciences, 
and  commerce.’ 

The  following  anecdote  has  been  instanced,  as  a memo- 
rial of  Buonaparte’s  resentment  of  an  affront.  Its  authen- 
ticity however  is  dubious.  The  celebrated  singer  Mar- 
chesi,  who  resided  at  Milan,  near  which  place  he  had  some 
property,  was  invited  by  madame  Buonaparte  to  dinner, 
when  he  was,  no  doubt,  expected  to  entertain  the  company 
with  his  charming  voice ; being  a great  aristocrat,  he  re- 
fused the  invitation  ; it  was  repeated,  and  he  refused  again ; 
Buonaparte  sent  his  commands  for  him  to  attend  ; he  per- 
sisted in  refusing,  and  soon  after  received  an  order  to  quit 
Milan  in  ten  hours.  After  he  set  out,  he  received  another 
message,  ordering  him  to  retire  to  his  country-house,  about 
thirty  miles  from  Milan,  for  six  months;  he  remained  there 
for  that  time,  under  a guard  of  six  soldiers,  whom  he  was 
obliged  to  maintain  at  his  own  expense. 

A traveller  of  unquestionable  impartiality  (Mr.  Holcroft,) 
who  has  lately  furnished  a very  interesting  work  on  the 
state  of  society  and  manners  at  Paris,  from  his  own  obser- 
vations during  a residence  in  that  metropolis,  and  to  whom 
English  literature  is  indebted  for  several  works  that  will  ev- 
er be  highly  esteemed  by  that  part  of  the  public  whose  ad- 
miration of  talent  and  liberality  of  sentiment  are  superior 
to  prejudice,  has  related  a fact  that  cannot  better  be  given 
than  in  his  own  words  : 

“ I occasionally  met,”  says  he,  “ several  Italians  (at  Paris) 
most  of  them  people  of  rank,  and  some  who  had  been  high 
in  office  : they  all  spoke  of  Buonaparte  with  bitterness ; 
and  related  tales,  which,  if  true,  wTould  prove  him  to  have 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  243 

been  a treacherous  tyrant  at  the  time  he  began  to  command 
j in  Italy. 

“ When  Buonaparte  first  came  to  Milan,  professing  him- 
self the  deliverer  of  a once  great  people,  but  now  and  long 
since  miserably  enchained  by  priestcraft  and  petty  despot- 
ism, those  who  earnestly  desired  the  emancipation  and  the 
happiness  of  their  country  received  him  with  open  arms. — 
One  of  them,  a Milanese  nobleman  of  great  influence,  de- 
voted his  whole  means  and  power  to  the  cause,  which  he 
! supposed  the  French  sincerely  intended  to  promote  ; and, 

| for  that  purpose,  in  giving  aid  to  Buonaparte,  by  whom  he 
was  then  treated  with  the  most  flattering  distinction. 

“ This  nobleman  had  none  but  virtuous  motives  for  his 
conduct;  and  he  was,  too  soon,  convinced  that  it  was  not 
for  the  cause  of  freedom  which  Buonaparte,  and  the  armies 
of  France  fought:  the  avarice  of  individuals,  the  plunder 
of  rich  and  poor,  and  the  worst  of  motives,  which  selfish- 
ness, egotism,  and  national  vanity  could  inspire,  were  daily 
more  and  more  apparent. 

“ After  some  reverse  of  fortune  which  the  French  sustain- 
ed in  Italy,  Buonaparte  once  more  came  to  Milan ; and  the 
! indignant  patriot,  instead  of  again  promoting  the  views  of 
; the  conqueror,  openly  upbraided  him  with  his  want  of  good 
; faith,  his  total  dereliction  from  the  cause  of  freedom,  and 
the  atrocities  committed  or  countenanced  by  him.  The 
i affront  was  unpardonable.  To  reprove  a man  who  had  ar- 
mies at  his  command,  though  it  shewed  a noble  and  virtu- 
ous fortitude,  the  loyal  Milanese  soon  found  was  a fatal 
step : Buonaparte  caused  him  to  be  seized,  put  him  under 
a guard,  and  sent  accusations  of  him  to  the  directory,  ac- 
companied by  pretended  proofs  that  he  was  a traitor  to 
freedom  and  to  France.  The  end  of  this  tragedy  was,  the 
death  of  the  Italian  ; he  was  shot ! and  the  passions  of  his 
enemy  were  shewn  to  be  dangerous  to  the  present  and 
ominous  to  the  future. 

“ This  account  I had  from  a man  of  rank  and  honour, 
i an  Italian,  who  assured  me  he  absolutely  knew  all  that  he 
had  related  to  be  true. 

“ The  remembrance  of  the  depredations  committed  by 
the  French,  or  their  chief,  in  Italy,  will  not  quickly  die 
away.” 

Any  observation  upon  this  incident  would  be  impertinent. 


244 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Buonaparte’s  journey,  on  quitting  Italy,  was  marked  by 
some  interesting  occurrences. 

He  set  out  with  the  simple  equipage  of  a private  gentle- 


man, attended  by  two  generals,  two  aids  de-camp,  a 


secretary,  and  a physician.  At  Geneva  he  dined  with  the 
French  resident,  and,  having  been  expected  for  some  time, 
relays  of  horses  were  waiting  for  him  on  the  road,  and  im- 
mense crovvds  of  people  were  all  in  earnest  expectation  to 
behold  him.  At  Mondon,  where  he  slept  the  night  before, 
he  had  been  received  with  great  honours  by  the  celebrated 
colonel  Weiss,  the  bailiff  of  the  place,  a man  well  known 
by  his  political  and  philosophical  writings,  by  his  zeal,  and 
by  his  profound  admiration  of  Buonaparte.  Near  Avenche 
his  carriage  broke  down,  and  he  was  obliged  to  walk  for 
some  miles.  One  among  the  crowd  of  spectators  who  as- 
sembled to  see  him,  thus  speaks  of  him  : 

“ I had  an  opportunity  of  being  very  near  to  him,  and  he 
seemed  to  me  always  to  be  talking  to  those  around  him  as 
if  he  was  thinking  about  something  else  : he  has  the  mark 
of  great  sense  in  his  countenance,  and  an  air  of  profound 
meditation,  which  reveals  nothing  that  is  passing  within ; he 
seems  constantly  big  with  deep  thought,  which  will,  some 
day  or  other,  influence  the  destinies  of  Europe.  A burgess 
of  Morat,  a man  about  five  feet  ten  inches  high,  observed 
with  astonishment  the  figure  of  the  general.  ‘ How  small  a 
stature  for  so  great  a man!’  cried  he,  loud  enough  to  be 
heard  by  one  of  the  aids-de-camp.  ‘ He  is  exactly  the 
height  of  Alexander,’  said  some  one.  ‘ Yes,’  said  the  aid- 
de-camp,  ‘ and  that  is  not  the  only  trait  of  resemblance.’ 

“ At  Faubroun,  a little  village  nine  miles  from  Berne,  he 
supped  with  a large  party,  who  had,  out  of  curiosity  and 
respect,  accompanied  his  train  ; and  after  that  he  went  on 
to  Soleure.  All  the  towns  through  which  he  passed  in  the 
night  were  illuminated.  At  Basle  he  stopped  some  hours, 
walked  round  the  town,  and  received  a long  and  fulsome 
address  from  the  burgomaster.  In  passing  through  Lausanne, 
they  had  prepared  a great  fete  for  him,  which  he  did  not 
seem  to  enjoy  ; three  citizens  stopped  his  carriage  and  pre- 
sented to  him  three  young  women,  who  repeated  some  fine 
complimentary  verses,  which  they  had  got  by  heart ; an 
immense  crowd  assembled  about  him,  and  testified  great 
joy  by  their  shouts  and  acclamations.  He  thanked  them 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


245 


with  great  good  humour,  but  seemed  to  have  more  need  of 
sleep  than  of  compliments  : he  appeared,  indeed,  every 
where  to  shew  a profound  contempt  for  popular  opinion  and 
popular  applause.  He  spoke  very  little  to  strangers  through 
his  whole  journey,  and  seemed  to  be  sensible  that  every 
word  he  said  would  be  noted.” 

The  government  of  Berne  had  sent  a deputy  to  him  at 
Milan,  vvho  accompanied  him  on  his  journey,  and  had  a son 
with  him.  a boy  about  thirteen  years  old,  and  of  very  quick 
parts,  much  above  his  age.  Buonaparte  seemed  always 
very  fond  of  talking  to  him.  He  found  him  one  day  with 
a map  of  Switzerland.  “ What  are  you  looking  at  there  ?” 
said  the  general.  “ Some  parts  of  my  own  country  which 
I am  not  acquainted  with,”  replied  the  youth.  “ Do  you 
know  that  part  ?”  said  Buonaparte,  pointing  to  Porentrui. 
“ That  does  not  belong  to  us,”  replied  the  youth.  “ We 
mean  to  give  it  you,”  returned  the  general.  “ And  what 
do  you  mean  to  ask  in  exchange  ?”  said  the  boy.  “ No- 
thing,” said  Buonaparte,  “ we  will  make  you  a present  of 
it.”  “ Nothing!”  returned  the  youth,  thoughtfully.  “Ah! 
Timeo  Danaos  et  dona  ferentesA  Buonaparte  immediately 
turned  to  his  father,  and  said,  “ Take  care  of  the  boy’s  ed- 
ucation ; he  will  be  no  common  man,  some  day  or  other.” 
When  he  came  near  to  the  little  village  of  Faubroun, 
which  is  surrounded  with  thick  fir-trees,  he  got  out  of  his 
carriage  and  walked  to  the  inn,  humming  the  tune  of 
“ Paisible  bois .”  He  talked  very  freely  with  the  landlord, 
and  asked  him  if  he  paid  many  taxes  ? “No,”  said  the 
man,  “ we  hardly  know  what  they  are.”  “ Have  you  no 
land  of  your  own  ?”  “ Yes,  about  fifty  pounds  a year.” 

“ Do  you  pay  no  taxes  for  that  ?”  “ Yes,  the  tythes  and 

quit-rent,  which  are  no  more  than  the  annual  wages  of  one 
of  my  husbandmen  ; I reckoned  that  in  the  expense  of 
working  my  land,  and  1 paid  for  it  accordingly.”  “Does 
your  government  levy  no  tax  upon  the  land  ?”  “ None.” 

“ How  then  does  it  pay  its  expenses?”  “ With  the  pro- 
duce of  its  domains,  which  is  not  only  sufficient  for  the 
purpose,  but  leaves  a balance  every  year.”  “ You  are 
very  well  satisfied  with  your  government  then,  I suppose  ?” 
“ And  so  I ought  to  be,”  replied  the  landlord,  “ with  a 
government  which  does  great  good  to  the  poor  and  no  harm 
to  the  rich.”  “ If  all  this  be  true,”  said  Buonaparte,  turn- 


246 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ing  to  one  of  his  officers,  “ these  are  the  happiest  people  in 
the  world.” 

Buonaparte,  after  passing  through  Switzerland,  stopped 
at  Rastadt  to  open  the  conferences  of  the  congress,  and  then 
proceeded  on  his  journey.  During  his  short  stay  at  that 
place  he  gave  a specimen  of  what  the  other  powers  of  Eu- 
rope had  to  expect  from  him  and  the  French  republic,  by 
his  treatment  of  count  Ferzen,  the  envoy  of  Sweden  to  the 
congress,  a man  well  known  for  his  attachment  to  the  old 
court  of  France  and  his  hatred  to  the  revolution.  When  he 
was  introduced  to  him,  Buonaparte  received  him  coolly, 
but  with  civility,  and  then  asked  what  minister  the  court  of 
Sweden  had  at  Paris.  To  which  the  count  replied,  with 
evident  confusion,  “ None.”  Buonaparte  then  expressed 
his  surprise  that  the  king  should  send  a person  to  meet  the 
plenipotentiaries,  who  was  essentially  disagreeable  to  every 
French  citizen.  He  remarked,  that  the  king  would  be 
much  offended  if  a French  minister  should  be  sent  to  Stock- 
holm, who  had  endeavoured  to  excite  the  people  to  insur- 
rection ; and,  by  the  same  rule,  the  French  republic  could 
not  suffer  his  majesty  to  send  men  too  well  known  for  their 
attachment  to  the  old  court,  to  face  the  ministers  of  the  first 
nation  on  earth,  w'hich  well  knew  how  to  preserve  its  digni- 
ty. The  count  retired,  much  irritated  and  confused,  say- 
ing, “ he  should  report  to  his  majesty  what  he  had  just 
heard.” 

Buonaparte,  after  his  arrival  at  Paris,  shunned  every  op- 
portunity of  being  noticed : he  lived  in  a small  house  and 
retired  street ; he  received  very  little  company  ; he  avoided 
all  crowded  places,  and  never  went  out  but  in  a plain  car- 
riage with  two  horses ; he  dined  sometimes  with  the  different 
ministers  of  state,  and  never  appeared  but  twice  at  any  pub- 
lic meeting  ; in  doing  this  he  complied  with  his  natural  dis- 
position. He  appeared  to  contemn  popular  applause,  and  he 
avoided  giving  any  offence  to  the  directory,  who,  before  he 
left  Italy,  had  appointed  him  to  the  command  of  the  army  of 
England. 

The  policy  of  Buonaparte  appears  to  have  been,  to  gain 
popularity  by  seeming  to  avoid  it,  by  the  shew  of  great 
moderation,  and  by  a public  expression  of  his  aversion  to 
Jacobin  principles : he  dreaded  their  power  as  a party, 
though,  as  individuals,  they  were  suited  to  his  purpose* 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


247 


In  every  instance  where  he  has  had  any  opportunity,  Buona- 
parte has  endeavoured  to  suppress  discussion  and  freedom  of 
sentiment.  The  new  constitutions  of  Italy  were  framed  al- 
most entirely  by  himself,  with  as  little  of  the  popular  leaven 
as  possible ; all  the  first  legislators  and  public  officers  were 
of  his  own  appointment,  and  before  he  left  Milan  he  order- 
ed all  the  popular  societies  to  be  closed.  He  constantly 
addressed  the  military  as  the  guardians  and  preservers  of 
the  different  constitutions  he  had  established.  The  treaty 
of  peace  was  entirely  his  own  framing,  and  he  is  said  to 
have  advised  the  directory  to  diminish  the  force  of  the  coa- 
lition by  making  separate  treaties  with  the  allied  powers ; 
he  advised  also,  that  moderate  conditions  should  be  granted 
to  the  emperor  in  order  to  induce  the  other  powers  to  treat, 
when  they  saw  that,  even  when  vanquished,  he  was  not  op- 
pressed. 

The  ceremony  of  his  presentation  to  the  directory,  when 
he  arrived  from  Italy,  was  attended  with  every  degree  of 
splendour  and  parade.  They  were  about  to  receive  a general, 
who,  by  his  prowess  and  talents,  had  vanquished  the  most 
formidable  armies  ever  sent  into  the  field  against  France  ; 

; and  who  had  preserved  the  independence  and  extended  the 
power  of  the  country  against  a confederacy  formed  for  the 
-utter  destruction  of  its  glory. 

The  great  court  of  the  Luxembourg  was  the  place  chosen 
for  this  superb  spectacle;  it  was  covered  with  an  immense 
i awning,  and  the  walls  were  decorated  with  hangings  of  the 
national  colours  and  military  trophies  ; at  one  end  was  an  al- 
! tar  surmounted  with  statues  of  liberty,  equality  and  peace, 

■ and  ornamented  with  the  different  standards  which  had 
been  taken  from  the  enemy  ; on  each  side  of  the  altar  were 
seats  in  a semicircular  form,  composing  a vast  amphithea- 
tre, and  destined  for  the  constituted  authorities  and  the  con- 
servatory of  music  ; from  the  walls  were  suspended  the 
colours  of  the  different  armies  of  the  republic  ; an  immense 
crowd  lined  the  court  and  windows  of  the  palace,  and  all 
the  neighbouring  streets  were  filled  with  those  who  could 
not  gain  admittance  within  ; the  air  perpetually  resounded 
with  their  acclamations  and  shouts  of  joy. 

At  twelve  o’clock  at  noon  the  sound  of  cannon  announced 
the  commencement  of  the  fete,  and  the  procession,  which 
consisted  of  the  directory,  the  ministers  of  state,  and  con- 


THE  LIFE  OF 


24.; 

stituted  authorities,  began  to  move  from  their  different  pla- 
ces of  meeting  towards- the  Luxembourg;  after  they  had 
arrived,  and  were  all  seated,  the  president  of  the  directory 
gave  orders  to  inform  the  foreign  ministers,  the  minister  of 
war,  and  the  generals  Buonaparte,  Joubert,  and  Andreossi, 
that  the  directory  were  ready  to  receive  them.  The  con- 
servatory  of  music  began  a beautiful  symphony,  which  was 
soon  interrupted  by  the  sounds  of  repeated  shouts,  rending 
the  air  with  “ Long  live  the  republic  !” — “Long  live  Buona- 
parte!”— “ Long  live  the  great  nation !”  The  noise  continu- 
ed to  increase,  the  crowd  kept  pressing  forward,  every  eye 
sparkled  with  expectation  and  curiosity,  and  turned  towards 
the  great  door : Buonaparte  entered  ! the  enthusiasm  of  the 
people  increased,  not  a single  person  was  siient,  but  all  cried 
out,  with  one  impulse  and  with  one  accord,  “ The  deliverer 
of  Italy” — “ The  pacificator  of  the  continent.” 

Buonaparte  now  advanced  with  calmness  and  dignity.  1 
It  was  the  most  sublime  moment  that  a mortal  could  expe- 
rience ; the  greatest  trial  to  the  feelings  of  a man  ; yet  he 
shewed  the  same  coolness  he  had  done  in  the  midst  of  bat- 
tle. He  was  accompanied  by  the  minister  of  foreign  rela- 
tions, the  minister  at  war,  and  his  aids-de-camp:  the  mu- 
sic played  the  hymn  to  liberty,  and  every  one  stood  up  un-  i 
covered.  When  he  had  arrived  at  the  steps  of  the  altar  he 
was  presented  to  the  directory  by  Talleyrand,  in  a speech 
suited  to  the  occasion : after  it  was  finished,  all  seemed  eager  | 
to  hear  the  conqueror  of  Italy,  the  simplicity  and  modesty 
of  whose  appearance  formed  a fine  contrast  to  the  grandeur 
of  his  situation,  and  every  one  present  figured  him  at  the  ! 
bridge  of  Lodi,  at  Areola,  or  Campo  Formio.  A profound  [ 
silence  immediately  took  place  while  Buonaparte  presented  j 
to  the  president  of  the  directory  the  emperor’s  ratification  of 
the  treaty,  and  spoke  as  follows  : I 

“ Citizen  directors — The  French  people,  in  order  to  be 
free,  had  to  combat  with  kings  ; to  obtain  a constitution 
founded  upon  reason,  they  had  to  vanquish  the  prejudices,  t 
of  eighteen  centuries.  The  constitution  of  the  third  year,  j 
and  you,  have  triumphed  over  all  obstacles.  Religion,  feu- 
dality, and  royalty,  have  successively  governed  Europe ; 1 
but,  the  peace  which  you  have  concluded  dates  the  aera  of 
representative  governments.  You  have  organized  the  great 
nation,  whose  vast. territory  is  circumscribed  only  bv  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


249 


limits  which  nature  herself  hath  placed.  You  have  done 
more.  The  two  most  beautiful  parts  of  Europe,  formerly  so 
celebrated  for  the  arts,  the  sciences,  and  the  great  men  which 
they  produced,  see,  with  renovated  hope,  the  genius  of  liber- 
ty rise  from  the  tombs  of  their  ancestors.  These  are  the 
two  pedestals  on  which  the  destinies  have  placed  other  na- 
tions. 1 have  the  honour  to  present  the  treaty  signed  at 
Campo  Formio,  and  ratified  by  his  imperial  majesty.  Peace 
gives  the  earnest  of  liberty,  prosperity  and  glory  to  the  re- 
public. When  the  happiness  of  the  French  people  shall 
rest  on  well-formed  organic  laws,  all  Europe  will  become 
free.” 

The  hero  had  scarcely  finished,  when  shouts  of  acclama- 
tion on  all  sides  seemed  to  reach  the  clouds.  “ Long  live 
the  republic  !” — “ Long  live  Buonaparte!”  were  the  gene- 
ral cry.  The  president  answered  him  in  a very  long  speech, 
and  afterwards  gave  him  the  fraternal  embrace,  in  which  he 
was  followed  by  the  other  members  of  the  directory,  and 
witnessed  with  great  emotion  by  all  present.  Buonaparte 
descended  from  the  altar,  and  the  minister  of  foreign  rela- 
tions conducted  him  to  an  arm-chair  which  was  prepared 
for  him  before  the  diplomatic  body.  The  conservatory  of 
music  then  performed  the  Chant  du  Retour,  the  words  by 
Chenier,  and  the  music  by  Mehul.  The  other  generals 
twere  then  presented,  in  turn,  and  received,  and  returned 
r iddresses  suitable  to  the  occasion  ; after  which  they  took 
heir  different  seats,  prepared  for  them  in  front  of  Buona- 
parte, and  the  music  played  the  Chant  du  Depart.  The 
lirectors  then  dissolved  the  sitting  and  returned  to  their 
palace  with  the  rest  of  the  procession.  The  spectators  sa- 
uted Buonaparte  with  the  same  acclamations  at  his  departure 
is  at  his  entrance.  A magnificent  dinner  was  given  at  the 
Luxembourg  to  the  general,  and  an  immense  number  of 
-ivil  and  military  officers ; the  evening  concluded  with  a 
)all  at  the  house  of  the  minister  of  the  interior,  and  thus 
nded  this  august  ceremony. 

Buonaparte  at  all  times  affected  the  character  of  i man 
f science  and  a lover  of  letters  ; there  can  be  no  stronger 
roof  of  it  than  his  placing  the  title,  member  of  the  national 
astitute,  before  that  of  general.  At  a literary  dinner,  given 
y Francois  de  Neufciiateau,  he  pretended  to  converse  with 
very  scientific  man  in  his  own  line ; with  Lagrange  and 

32 


250 


THE  LIFE  OF 


La  Place  he  talked  of  mathematics  ; with  Sieyes  of  meta- 
physics ; of  poetry  with  Chenier  ; of  politics  with  Gallois, 
and  with  Daunou  of  legislation  and  public  law.  He  affect- 
ed in  Italy  to  be  the  patron  of  letters,  but  it  does  not  appear 
that  they  flourished  much  under  his  protection.  The  day 
after  his  nomination  to  be  a member  of  the  institute  in  the 
class  of  mechanics,  he  addressed  a letter  to  Camus,  the 
president,  in  which  are  the  same  appearance  of  modesty, 
and  the  same  respect  for  literature  which  he  had  formerly 
shewn. 

“citizen  president, 

“ The  good  opinion  of  the  distinguished  men  who  com- 
pose the  national  institute  does  me  the  highest  honour.  I 
perceive,  that,  before  I become  their  equal,  I must  be  a 
long  time  their  scholar.  If  I knew  one  method  more  ex- 
pressive than  another  of  testifying  my  esteem  for  them,  I 
should  employ  it.  The  only  true  conquests,  and  those 
which  leave  no  regret,  are  those  which  we  gain  over  igno- : 
ranee.  The  most  honourable  and  the  most  useful  of  all  | 
employments  is  to  extend  the  bounds  of  human  knowledge. 
The  true  power  of  the  French  republic  ought,  henceforth, 
to  consist  in  appropriating  to  itself  every  great  discovery. 

(Signed)  Buonaparte.” 

The  fetes  and  dinners  which  were  given  to  Buonaparte,!' 
were,  many  of  them,  shared  by  his  wife,  particularly  the 
balls ; he  constantly  attended  her  to  the  latter,  and  shewed; 
her  every  external  mark  of  respect.  The  simplicity  of  his 
dress  and  manner  seemed  pointedly  to  indicate  his  real  gran- 
deur and  superiority;  for,  where  every  one  else  was  superb- 
ly dressed,  in  order  to  do  him  honour,  he  himself  always 
appeared  in  a plain  coat  and  without  powder. 

The  ceremony  of  his  installation  at  the  national  institute 
was  intended  to  be  kept  entirely  private ; yet,  as  the  da) 
was  publicly  known,  the  room  was  crowded  as  soon  as  ii! 
was  opened ; for  wherever  he  could  be  seen  he  was  never 
without  a crowd.  At  five  o’clock  the  members  all  tool 
their  places,  Buonaparte  among  the  rest,  in  a plain  grey 
frock,  the  dress  he  generally  appeared  in  ; there  was  nothing 
particular,  therefore,  to  point  out  the  man  who  had  so  lately 
conquered  so  many  armies,  overturned  so  many  states,  an< 
created  so  many  new  ones.  Neither  his  stature,  his  man 
ners,  nor  his  dress,  distinguished  him  from  the  crowd ; am 


m 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  251 

yet,  from  the  great  eclat  of  his  name,  he  attracted  the  no- 
tice of  every  one  present : the  moment  he  was  discovered, 
the  room  rung  with  applauses,  which  were  repeated  when- 
ever any  allusion  to  him  occurred  in  any  of  the  speeches,  or 
any  thing  which  could  be  applied  to  the  hero  of  France.  It 
is  worthy  of  remark,  that  Buonaparte  was  elected  in  the 
room  of  his  friend  Carnot,  who  had  been  lately  banished. 

In  1797,  he  appeared  at  the  anniversary  of  the  21st  of 
January,  and  there  he  seemed  ashamed  of  his  company ; he 
was  seated  among  the  members  of  the  national  institute  as 
a private  individual,  and  took  so  much  pains  to  conceal 
himself,  by  hanging  down  his  head,  and  drawing  himself 
together,  that  he  was  not  perceived  till  the  ceremony  was 
nearly  concluded.  He  was  then  cheered  with  loud  and  re- 
peated applauses. 

The  marks  of  public  favour,  which  Buonaparte  always 
received  from  the  Parisians,  must  have  been,  in  some  de- 
gree, pleasing  to  his  mind,  and  have  inspired  him  with  an 
additional  confidence  in  any  plans  that  he  might  have  form- 
ed against  the  government.  But,  if  he  had  indulged  such 
views  then,  there  is  ground  to  think  that  he  was  not  at  ease, 
for  his  schemes  were  not  sufficiently  matured  to  be  acted 
iupon  ; and  Carnot  has  declared,  that  the  directory  dreaded 
and  wished  to  destroy  him  ; — of  this  Buonaparte  was  aware, 

; and  he  secretly  despised  them  as  men  and  envied  them  as 
rulers.  Paris  was  not,  therefore,  a place  in  which  he  could 
long  remain  in  safety,  if  even  his  energetic  mind  could  have 
1 concealed  its  disgust ; besides,  his  policy  required  that  he 
^should  appear  at  Paris  in  the  character  only  of  a private 
citizen.  To  conform  to  the  level  of  the  Merlins,  the  Fre- 
rons,  and  of  the  literary  horde,  and  to  feel  himself  no  more 
than  an  equal  of  journalists,  and  pamphleteers,  and  lec- 
turers— the  sycophants  of  the  directory,  the  panders  of  the 
people,  and  the  quacks  of  science — -to  reduce  himself  to 
such  an  equality,  and,  worst  of  all,  to  be  in  their  power, 
was  degrading  and  humiliating  in  the  extreme,  to  him,  who 
had  over- ran  Italy,  at  the  head  of  the  troops  of  the  republic, 
i who,  when  with  the  army,  was  without  a superior  and  with- 
out a rival. 


252 


THE  LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XVI. 


Notwithstanding  the  diffidence  with  which  Buona- 
parte seemed  to  receive  the  honours  that  were  lavished  upon 
him  at  different  times;  and,  although  the  literati  had  adopted 
him,  and  conferred  upon  him  the  distinctions  which  they 
had  at  their  command,  several  men  of  letters  ridiculed  those 
savans  who  accompanied  him  to  Egypt.  Amongst  others, 
Richard  Serizy  declaims,  in  the  Accusateur  PubUque , in  the 
following  terms : 

“ What  can  we  think  of  those  pretended  learned  men, 
knowing  hardly  the  alphabet  of  common  sense  ; of  those 
lamps  of  the  institute  ! who,  thinking  they  were  called  up- 
on to  complete  those  high  and  mysterious  destinies,  forget- 
ing  the  unhappy  fate  of  Pharaoh’s  conjurors,  set  off,  with 
empty  purses,  in  company  of  the  modern  Jason,  to  search, 
first,  for  the  golden  fleece  ; then,  to  dazzle  Asia  with  their 
talents  ; next,  to  build  a fourth  pyramid,  in  addition  to  the 
three  extant,  that  their  great  deeds  might  be  transmitted  to 
posterity  ; and,  lastly,  to  rebuild,  most  assuredly,  in  fifteen 
days,  the  twenty -two  thousand  cities  of  old  Egypt : to  re- 
instate the  lake  Meris,  and  again  to  set  up  the  bull  Apis !” 

And,  again,  he  says  : 

“ If  I wish  to  find  out  the  utility  of  such  an  extravagant 
undertaking,  I only  see  the  chimerical  project  of  spreading 
the  revolution  all  over  Asia.  Who  can  be  ignorant,  that  the 
climate,  the  fanaticism,  the  customs  and  manners,  render  the 


eastern  nations  quite  averse  to  our  manners  and  customs  , 
that  it  would  require  an  infinite  time,  immense  sums  of  mo- 
ney, the  philosopher’s  stone,  to  give  life  again  and  to  reunite 
the  dust  of  the  wonderful  Memphis,  scattered  and  disper- 
sed so  many  centuries  ago  ? What  advantage  can  we  reap 

rlpnriv^rl  nf  fnrtv  tlirmsanri 


from 


having  Cairo  and  being  deprived  of  forty  thousand 
men  in  our  armies  ? But,  they  say,  that,  in  time,  it  will 
prove  an  excellent  colony  to  us:  Would  it  not,  then,  have 
been  much  better  to  have  taken  care  of  ours,  so  valuable, 
so  fruitful,  so  populous,  rather  than  to  invade  a country, 
which  we  cannot  keep  long,  and  instead  of  abandoning  real 
comforts  of  life  for  illusive  hopes  ? Who  does  not  see,  that 
the  British  government  has  so  well  calculated  upon  the  ex- 
travagance of  such  an  enterprise,  that  it  seems  to  have  been 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


255 


their  wish  that  our  army  should  land,  unmolested,  on  those 
distant  and  barren  shores  ? Indeed,  one  would  be  apt  to 
believe  it,  when  it  was  well  known,  that  admiral  Nelson 
was  before  Alexandria  three  days  before  the  arrival  of  Buo- 
naparte ! and,  in  fact,  why  has  he  not  waited  for  him  ? how 
has  he  missed  him  at  sea?  The  landing  of  our  army  in 
Egypt,  did  it  not  offer  to  the  enemy  the  considerable  ad- 
vantage of  removing  the  dangers  Which  threatened  England, 
of  lessening  our  strength  upon  the  continent,  and  of  en- 
gaging, at  last,  the  Ottoman  Porte  (the  dupe  of  her  good 
faith,  and  too  faithful  to  her  engagements)  to  side  with  the 
coalition  against  the  destroyers  of  men  ? 

“ And  what  shall  we  think  of  the  new-fashioned  general, 

I who  in  order  to  succeed  in  his  undertaking,  acts  the  part  of 
Alexander,  takes  folly  for  heroism,  puts,  gravely,  a con- 
juror’s book  in  his  pocket,  provides  himself  with  orvietan, 
with  phosphorus,  with  inflammable  air,  with  stuffed  serpents, 
taken  from  the  cabinet  of  natural  history,  in  order  to  put 
them  under  Pompey’s  pillar,  imitating  thereby  the  serpent 
of  Appollonius  and  Epidaurus  ; makes  the  Egyptians  be- 
lieve that  he  is  a god,  and  persuades  the  Parisians  that  the 
! terrible  and  memorable  battle  of  Chebreisse  is  the  battle  of 
i Abelles  ?” 

Carnot  in  his  pamphlet,  published  nearly  a month  before 
Buonaparte’s  departure  for  Egypt,  complains  of  his  ingrati- 
i tude  towards  himself,  to  whom  he  owed  much  obligation 
for  ills  elevation  to  the  command  of  the  army  of  Italy  : 

“ I was  so  persuaded,”  says  he,  “ that  it  was  impossible 
that  Buonaparte  had  contributed  to  my  proscription,  that, 
when  he  passed,  on  his  way  to  Rastadt,  through  a small 
town,  where  I was  for  a short  time,  I was  on  the  point  of 
sending  him  a note,  in  order  to  ask  of  him  a momentary  in- 
terview ; and,  if  I did  not  do  it,  it  was,  because  I feared 
that  I might  put  him  to  some  trouble  ; for  I had  never  en- 
tertained the  smallest  doubt  about  his  generosity.  I then 
let  him  pass,  and  illuminated  my  windows,  as  did  all  the 
l inhabitants,  reflecting,  in  the  gayest  humour,  on  the  whim- 
’ sical  destinies  of  mankind.  A few  days  afterwards  I felt 
extremely  happy  in  having  acted  as  I did  ; when  I heard, 
that,  at  Geneva,  Buonaparte  had  put  under  confinement  a 
banker,  called  Bontems,  only  because  he  was  suspected  to 
have  taken  me  from  Paris  to  Geneva,  after  the  18th  FructU 


25  4 


THE  LIFE  OF 


dor,  in  order  to  rescue  me  from  the  pursuits  of  the  direc- 
tor}', who  sent  out  whole  battalions  and  artillery  to  find  me, 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Paris.  The  suspicion  was  un- 
founded ; I had  never  seen  Bontems  in  Paris,  and  it  was  not 
to  him  that  I owed  the  obligation  to  have  taken  me  out  of 
the  frontiers  : the  unhappy  man  remained,  however,  seve- 
ral months  in  prison ! Such  is  the  account  I heard  from  ma- 
ny persons,  who  had  seen  him  at  Geneva,  and  who  had 
heard  him  mention  the  fact ; adding,  that  Buonaparte  was 
excessively  angry,  and  made  him  the  most  violent  threats.” 

Carnot,  elsewhere,  expresses  himself  very  indignantly 
at  the  behaviour  of  Buonaparte  toward  him. 

He  that  is  remarkable  for  having  achieved  any  great  ac- 
tions will  have  many  friends,  from  admiration,  who  will 
panegyrize  him  for  virtues  that  he  never  possessed ; and 
many  enemies,  from  envy,  who  will  sully  his  reputation  by 
enumerating  crimes  that  he  never  committed.  The  one 
will  extol  him  as  the  most  perfect,  the  other  will  execrate 
him  as  the  most  depraved  character  : the  attributes  which 
each  will  ascribe  to  him  are  superlative,  and  they  will  not 
be  satisfied  with  any  opinion  that  may  be  formed  of  him  that 
does  not  either  represent  him  as  a demi-god  or  a demon. — 
“ All  or  nothing!”  is  their  cry — not  as  he  is,  but  as  they 
wish  him  to  be,  is  their  picture ; so,  that,  if  the  good  quali- 
fications of  the  individual  be  merely  moderate,  they  will  be 
magnified  to  perfection  by  his  friends  ; and  his  vices  and  his 
follies,  however  venial,  will  be  so  exaggerated  by  his  ene- 
mies, that,  if  he  had  the  most  sincere  disposition  to  repair 
his  faults,  “ detraction  will  not  let  him”  even  acknowledge 
them,  for  fear  of  the  evil  appearance  that  malice  would  give 
to  his  first  step  towards  reform.  Unfortunately,  these  par- 
tialities are  so  well  adapted  to  their  object — the  concealment 
of  truth — that  an  honest  enquirer  is  often  deceived,  and, 
as  often  as  he  discovers  the  error,  is  disgusted ; whilst  an 
acute  inquirer  has  not  always  the  means  of  detecting  the 
fabrication,  and  is  himself  deluded  into  a belief  of  it.  The 
motive,  however,  once  ascertained,  the  mystery  is  un- 
ravelled. 

These  observations  will  apply  particularly  to  Buonaparte  : 
his  publicity  has  occasioned  curiosity  ; and  as  the  curious 
are  always  credulous,  every  tale  that  has  been  related  of  him 
has  met  at  least  with  some  believers.  Nor  have  tales  been 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


255 


wanting  to  gratify  the  fondness  of  his  friends  and  the  hatred 
of  his  enemies  ; stories  have  been  so  ingeniously  manufac- 
tured that  the  discovery  of  some  of  them  has  destroyed  the 
credibility  even  of  facts’  and  induced  a rejection  of  those  or- 
dinary circumstances  of  evidence  with  which  the  mind  would 
have,  otherwise,  been  contented.  Fact  and  fiction,  being, 
therefore,  of  so  near  a semblance,  the  opinions  of  honest 
and  impartial  men  have  been,  in  general,  suspended  upon 
those  statements  which  are  now  submitted  to  the  considera- 
tion of  unprejudiced  minds. 

An  act  of  very  barbarous  cruelty  is  attributed  to  Buona- 
parte, in  a letter,  to  be  found  in  M.  Peltier’s  “ Paris,”  vol. 
ix.  p.  771.  The  writer  proceeds  as  follows  : 

“ 1 say,  and  it  is  what  twenty  thousand  men  know,  with- 
out daring  to  say  it ; I say,  that,  in  no  age,  and  under  no 
tyrant,  have  crimes  more  enormous  been  committed  than 
those  which  are  daily  committed  under  the  direction  and 
authority  of  Buonaparte  ! Will  it  be  credited,  that,  in  the 
hospitals  appropriated  to  the  sick  and  wounded,  the  sur- 
geons devoted  to  Buonaparte  have  a constant  order,  as  soon 
as  they  see  a sick  soldier  past  recovery,  or  one  whose  in- 
curable wounds  will  render  him  no  longer  of  use  to  the  ser- 
vice,  to  set  a mark  upon  his  bed,  which  fatal  mark  an- 
nounces to  the  attendants,  that  this  victim  is  to  be  carried 
away  with  the  dead ; he  is,f  accordingly,  thrown  into  a wag- 
gon, appointed  to  remove  the  dead  bodies  to  the  grave,  and 
he  is  generally  strangled  or  smothered  : but,  notwithstand- 
ing these  precautions,  as  the  carriages  move  along  to  the 
place  of  interment,  the  cries  and  groans  of  the  unfortunate 
men,  who  are  on  the  point  of  being  buried  alive,  may  be 
distinctly  heard  ! To  this  horrible  fact  I have  myself  been 
a witness,  as  well  as  to  what  I am  going  to  relate : 

“ In  the  month  of  July,  1797,  after  an  action,  which  took 
place  near  Salo,  on  the  Lac  de  Guarda,  Buonaparte  gave 
orders,  that  not  only  the  dead,  but  the  dying  and  wounded, 
should  be  buried  ! The  wretched  victims  were  placed  upon 
five  waggons,  and,  at  midnight,  were  dragged  to  an  enor- 
mous ditch,  and  precipitated  in  it.  The  cries  of  the  living 
being  distinctly  heard,  the  monsters  threw  down  eight  loads 
ot  burning  lime  upon  them,  which,  falling  upon  the  un- 
dressed wounds  of  the  poor  victims,  made  them  send  forth 
such  piercing  cries,  that  the  virtuous  curate  of  Salo,  seized 


256 


THE  LIFE  OF 


with  horror  at  the  transaction,  died,  in  consequence  of  the 
fright ! 

“ To  these  atrocities  I have  been  an  eye-witness,  and  I 
denounce  them  to  all  men  and  to  all  ages.  If  the  directory 
wish  to  be  satisfied  of  the  truth  of  my  assertions,  they  have 
it  in  their  power.  I do  not  sign  mv  name  to  this  letter,  as  I 
do  not  wish  to  be  assassinated  before  the  examination  of  the 
crimes  I have  denounced  can  take  place.  I call  upon  the 
directory  to  verify  the  facts,  and,  when  this  is  done,  I will 
immediately  present  myself  before  them  as  a witness : in, 
the  mean  time  I shall  discover  myself  to  Rewbell.” 

Sir  Robert  Wilson,  an  English  officer,  in  a work  pub- 
lished during  the  peace,  relating  to  the  operations  of  the 
French  in  Egypt,  relates  some  circumstances  of  atrocity, 
which  are  introduced  by  the  following  remarks,  in  the  pre- 
face of  his  book. 

“To  those  who  may  imagine  that  my  representations  of 
general  Buonaparte’s  conduct,  in  the  several  instances  re- 
ferred to,  are  imprudent  and  improper,  at  this  moment,  to 
be  brought  forward,  I must  premise ; that,  if  they  are  con- 
cerned only  for  the  character  of  that  general,  I am  happy  to 
afford  them  an  occasion  to  be  better  acquainted  with  this 
celebrated  man,  who,  by  his  great  fortune  and  uninterrupted 
career  of  victory,  (with  one  exception  of  Acre,  that  glorious 
monument  of  British  conduct !)  has  dazzled  the  under- 
standings of  the  mass  of  mankind,  and  prevented  the  results 
of  those  inquiries  having  proper  influence  which  those  with 
whom  the  opinions  of  the  day  do  not  pass  current,  have  in- 
stituted on  his  pretensions  to  the  admiration  of  posterity. 

“To  those,  whose  motives  of  disapprobation  proceed 
from  a regard  to  tranquillity,  exciting  the  wish  that  a general 
amnesty  of  oblivion  might  be  extended  to  the  past ; first, 
I will  say,  that  the  dissemination  of  this  principle  would 
tend  to  produce  more  wickedness  in  the  world  than  has 
ever  been  yet  committed  ; for  what  is  there  to  intimidate 
ambition,  in  full  possession  of  power,  but  the  pen  of  the  his- 
torian ? What  can  guarantee  mankind  from  the  atrocities  of 
a licentious  despotism,  but  an  assurance,  that  the  memory 
of  great  crimes  is  perpetuated  in  the  records  of  history  ? 

“ If  the  charges  are  not  f ounded,  the  man  yet  lives  to  ex- 
onerate his  injured  character:  if  he  cannot  refute  them,  then 
must  he  sink  into  his  grave  loaded  with  the  heavy  weight  of 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


257 


such  offences,  and  the  miserable  prescience,  that  execration 
shall  attach  to  his  memory,  instead  of  the  fame  he  coveted  ; 
that,  on  his  cenotaph  posterity  will  inscribe  : 

“ Ille  venena  Colchica  et  quidquid 
Unqnam  concipitur  nefas  tractavit.’’ — • 

“ General  .Hutchinson,”  says  sir  R.  Wilson,  “ was  very 
angrv  with  the  Turks  for  still  continuing  the  practice  of 
mangling  and  cutting  off  the  heads  of  the  prisoners  ; and 
the  captain  pacha,  at  his  remonstrance,  again  issued  very 
severe  orders  against  it  ; but  the  Turks  justified  themselves 
for  the  massacre  of  the  French  by  the  massacre  at  Jaffa.— 
As  this  act  and  the  poisoning  of  the  sick  have  never  been 
credited,  because  of  such  enormities  being  so  incredibly 
atrocious,  a digression,  to  authenticate  them,  may  not  be 
deemed  intrusively  tedious  ; and,  had  not  the  influence  of 
power  interfered,  the  act  of  accusation  would  have  been 
preferred  in  a more  solemn  manner,  and  the  damning  proofs 
produced,  by  penitent  agents  of  these  murders  ; but  nei- 
ther menaces  nor  promises  can,  altogether,  stifle  the  cries  of 
outraged  humanity,  and  the  day  for  retribution  of  justice  is 
only  delayed. 

“ Buonaparte  having  carried  the  town  of  Jaffa  by  assault, 
many  of  the  garrison  were  put  to  the  sword  ; but  the  great- 
er part  flying  into  the  mosques,  and  imploring  mercy  from 
their  pursuers,  were  granted  their  lives ; and,  let  it  be  well 
remembered,  that  an  exasperated  army,  in  the  moment  of 
revenge,  when  the  laws  of  war  justified  the  rage,  yet  heard 
the  voice  of  pitv,  received  its  impression,  and  proudly  refu- 
sed to  be  any  longer  the  executioners  of  an  unresisting  ene- 
my. Solditrs  of  the  Italian  army  ! this  is  a laurel  wreath 
worthy  of  your  lame,  a trophy,  of  which  the  subsequent 
treason  of  an  individual  shall  not  deprive  you. 

“ Three  days  afterwards,  Buonaparte  who  had  expressed 
much  resentment  at  the  compassion  manifested  by  his  troops, 
and  determined  to  relieve  himself  from  the  maintenance 
and  care  of  three  thousand  eight  hundred  prisoners,*  order- 

* “ Buonaparte  had,  in  person,  previously  inspected  the  whole  body,  amounting  to 
near  5,000  men.  with  the  object  of  saving  those  who  belonged  to  the  towns  he  was 
preparing  to  attack  The  age  and  noble  physiognomy  of  a veteran  janizary,  attracted 
his  observation  ; and  he  asked  him,  sharply,  “ Old  man  ! what  did  you  here  ?”  The 
janizary,  undaunted,  replied,  “ 1 must  answer  that  question  by  asking  you  the  same 
your  answer  will  be,  That  vou  came  to  serve  your  sultan  ; so  did  I mine.”  The  in- 

3'3 


258 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ed  them  to  be  marched  to  a rising  ground,  near  Jaffa,  where 
a division  of  French  infantry  formed  against  them.  When 
the  Turks  had  entered  into  their  fatal  alignment,  and  the 
mournful  preparations  were  completed,  the  signal-gun  fired. 
Vollies  of  musketry  and  grape  instantly  played  against 
them  ; and  Buonaparte,  who  had  been  regarding  the  scene 
through  a telescope,  when  he  saw  the  smoke  ascending, 
could  not  restrain  his  joy,  but  broke  out  into  exclamations 
of  approval ; indeed,  he  had  just  reason  to  dread  the  refu- 
sal of  his  troops  thus  to  dishonour  themselves.  Kleber  had 
remonstrated  in  the  most  strenuous' manner,  and  the  officer 
of  the  etat-major,  who  commanded,  (for  the  general  to  whom 
the  division  belonged  was  absent,)  even  refused  to  execute 
the  order  without  a written  instruction  ; but  Buonaparte 
was  too  cautious,  and  sent  Berthier  to  enforce  obedience. 

Cf  When  the  Turks  had  all  fallen,  the  French  troops  hu-  ' 
manely  endeavoured  to  put  a period  to  the  sufferings  of  the 
wounded  ; but  some  time  elapsed  before  the  bayonet  could 
finish  what  the  fire  had  not  destroyed,  and,  probably,  many 
languished  days  in  agony.  Several  French  officers,  by  whom 
these  details  are  partly  furnished,  declared,  that  this  was  a 
scene,  the  retrospect  of  which  tormented  their  recollection, 
and  that  they  could  not  reflect  on  it  without  horror,  accus- 
tomed as  they  had  been  to  sights  of  cruelty. 

“ These  were  the  prisoners  whom  Assalini,  in  his  very 
able  work  on  the  plague,  alludes  to,  when  he  says,  that  for 
three  days  the  Turks  shewed  no  symptoms  of  that  disease, 
and  it  was  their  putrifying  remains  which  contributed  to  ! 
produce  the  pestilential  malady,  which  he  describes  as  after- 
wards making  such  ravages  in  the  French  army. 

“ The  bones  still  lie  in  heaps,  and  art  shewn  to  every 
traveller  who  arrives;  nor  can  they  be  confounded  with 
those  who  perished  in  the  assault,  since  this  field  of  butch- 
er)- lies  a mile  from  the  town. 

“ Such  a fact  should  not,  however,  be  alleged  without 
some  proof  or  leading  circumstance,  stronger  than  assertion, 
being  produced  to  support  it  : but  there  would  be  a want 
of  generosity  in  naming  individuals,  and  branding  them  to 

trepid  frankness  of  the  reply  excited  universal  interest  in  his  favour.  Buonaparte 
evi  i smiled  ! “ He  is  saved  !”  whispered  some  of  the  aids-de-carup  “ Vou  know  not 
Buo  parte. ’’observed  one,  who  had  served  with  him  in  Italy  : “ that  smile  (1  speak 
from  experience)  does  not  proceed  from  the  sentiment  of  benevolence  : remember 
what  1 say.”  I he  opinion  was  too  true.  The  janizary  was  left  in  the  ranks,  doomed 
to  death,  and  suffered  ' 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  259 

the  latest  posterity  with  infamy,  for  obeying  a command, 
when  their  submission  became  an  act  of  necessity,  since 
the  whole  army  did  not  mutiny  against  the  execution; 
therefore,  to  establish  further  the  authenticity  of  the  rela- 
tion, this  only  can  be  mentioned,  that  it  was  Bon’s  division 
which  fired  ; and  thus  every  one  is  afforded  the  opportuni- 
ty of  satisfying  himself  respecting  the  truth,  bv  inquiring 
of  officers  serving  in  the  different  brigades  composing  this 
division. 

“ The  next  circumstance  is  of  a nature  which  requires, 
indeed,  the  most  particular  details  to  establish  ; since  the 
! idea  can  scarce  be  entertained,  that  the  commander  of  an 
army  should  order  his  own  countrymen  (or,  if  not  imtne- 
! diately  such,  those  amongst  whom  he  had  been  naturalized) 
to  be  deprived  of  existence,  when  in  a state  which  required 
the  kindest  consideration.  But  the  annals  of  France  record 
the  frightful  crimes  of  a Robespierre,  a Carrier,  and  histo- 
rical truth  must  now  recite  one  equal  to  any  which  has 
blackened  its  page. 

“ Buonaparte,  finding  that  his  hospitals  at  Jaffa  were 
crowded  with  sick,  sent  for  a physician,  whose  name  should 
be  insribed  in  letters  of  gold,  but  which,  from  important 
reasons,  cannot  be  here  inserted  ; on  his  arrival,  he  enter- 
ed into  a long  conversation  with  him  respecting  the  danger 
of  contagion ; concluding,  at  last,  with  the  remark,  that 
something  must  be  done  to  remedy  the  evil,  and  that  the 
; destruction  of  the  sick  at  present  in  the  hospital  was  the 
only  measure  which  could  be  adopted.  The  physician, 

; alarmed  at  the  proposal,  bold  in  the  confidence  of  virtue  and 
the  cause  of  humanity,  remonstrated  vehemently,  repre- 
senting the  cruelty  as  well  as  the  atrocity  of  such  a murder ; 
but,  finding  that  Buonaparte  persevered  and  menaced,  he 
indignantly  left  the  tent,  with  this  memorable  observation  : 
['  ‘ Neither  my  principles,  nor  the  character  of  my  profession, 

1 will  allow  me  to  become  a murderer  ; and,  general ! if 
\\  such  qualities  as  you  insinuate  are  necessary  to  form  a great 
: man,  f thank  my  God  that  I do  not  possess  them.’ 

“ Buonaparte  was  not  to  be  diverted  from  his  object  by 
moral  considerations  ; he  persevered,  and  found  an  apothe- 
cary, who  (dreading  the  weight  of  power,  but  who  since 
has  made  an  atonement  to  his  mind  by  unequivocally  con- 
fessing the  fact)  consented  to  become  his  agent,  and  ad- 


* 260 


THE  LIFE  OF 


minister  poison  to  the  sick.  Opium,  at  night,  was  distribu- 
ted, in  gratifying  food ; the  wretched  unsuspecting  victims 
banqueted,  and  in  a few  hours  580  soldiers,  who  had  suf- 
fered so  much  for  their  country,  perished  thus  miserably, 
by  the  order  of  its  idol. 

“ Is  there  a Frenchman  whose  blood  does  not  chill  with 
horror  at  the  recital  of  such  a fact  ? Surely  the  names  of 
these  murdered  unoffending  people  must  be  now  hovering 
round  the  seat  of  government : and 

“ If  a doubt  should  still  exist  as  to  the  veracity  of  this 
statement,  let  the  members  of  the  institute  at  Cairo  be  asked 
what  passed  in  their  sitting  after  the  return  of  Buonaparte 
from  Syria : they  will  relate,  that  the  same  virtuous  physi- 
cian, who  refused  to  become  the  destroyer  of  those  com- 
mitted to  his  protection,  accused  Buonaparte  of  high  trea- 
son in  the  full  assembly,  against  the  honour  of  France,  her 
children,  and  humanity ; that  he  entered  into  the  full  de- 
tails of  the  poisoning  of  the  sick,  and  the  massacre  of  the 
garrison,  aggravating  these  crimes  by  charging  Buonaparte 
with  strangling,  previously,  at  Rosetta,  a number  of  French 
and  Copts,  who  were  ill  of  the  plague  ; thus  proving  that 
this  disposal  of  the  sick  was  a premeditated  plan,  which  he 
wished  to  introduce  into  general  practice.  In  vain  Buona- 
parte attempted  to  justify  himself ; the  members  sat  petri- 
fied with  terror,  and  almost  doubted  whether  the  scene  pass- 
ing before  their  eyes  was  not  illusion. 

“ Buonaparte  pleaded,  that  he  ordered  the  garrison  to  be 
destroyed,  because  he  had  not  provisions  to  maintain  them, 
or  strength  enough  to  guard  them  ; and  that  it  was  evident, 
if  they  escaped,  they  would  act  against  the  French,  since 
amongst  the  prisoners  were  500  of  the  garrison  of  El- Arish, 
who  had  promised  not  to  serve  again  (they  had  been  com- 
pelled, in  passing  through  Jaffa,  by  the  commandant,  to 
serve) ; and  that  he  destroyed  the  sick  to  prevent  conta- 
gion, and  save  themselves  from  falling  into  the  hands  of  the 
Turks;  but  these  arguments,  however  specious,  were  re- 
futed directly,  and  Buonaparte  was,  at  last,  obliged  to  rest 
his  defence  on  the  positions  of  Machiavel.  When  he  after- 
wards left  Egypt,  the  savans  were  so  angry  at  being  left 
behind,  contrary  to  promise,  that  they  elected  the  physician 
president  of  the  institute;  an  act  which  spoke  for  itself 
fully. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


261 


w Assuredly  all  these  proceedings  will  not  be  found  in 
the  minutes  of  the  institute  ; no,  Buonaparte’s  policy  fore- 
saw the  danger,  and  power  produced  the  erasure ; but  let 
no  man,  calculating  on  the  force  of  circumstances  which 
may  prevent  such  an  avowal  as  is  solicited,  presume  on  this 

I to  deny  the  whole ; there  are  records  which  remain,  and 
which  in  due  season,  will  be  produced.  In  the  interim, 
this  representation  will  be  sufficient  to  stimulate  enquiry ; 
and,  Frenchmen,  your  honour  is  indeed  interested  in  the  ex- 
amination. 

“ Let  us  hope  also,  that  in  no  country  will  there  be  found 
another  man  of  such  Machiavelian  principles,  as  by  sophis- 
try to  palliate  those  transactions ; nor  must  the  judgment 
| abuse  itself  by  bringing  to  recollection  the  horrors  of  the 
French  revolution,  and  thus  diminishing  the  force  of  those 
crimes  by  the  frequency  of  equal  guilt  in  France  during  her 
contest  for  liberty  or  slavery .” 

In  addition  to  the  statement  of  sir  R.  Wilson,  doctor 
Wittman,  who  was  physician  to  the  British  military  mis- 
sion, which  accompanied  the  army  of  the  grand  vizier,  in 
a work  printed  subsequent  to  sir  R.  Wilson’s,  says,  that, 
“ Four  thousand  of  the  wretched  inhabitants  who  had  sur- 
' rendered , and  who  had  in  vain  implored  the  mercy  of  their 
conquerors,  were,  together  with  a part  of  the  iate  Turkish 
garrison  of  El-Arish,  (amounting,  it  has  been  said,  to  live 
or  six  hundred,)  dragged  out,  in  cold  blood,  four  days  af- 
ter the  French  had  obtained  possession  of  Jaffa,  to  the  sand- 
hills, about  a league  distant,  in  the  way  to  Gaza,  and 
i there  most  inhumanly  put  to  death.  I have  seen  the  skele- 
tons of  those  unfortunate  victims,  which  lie  scattered  over 
[i  the  hills — a modern  Golgotha,  which  remains  a lasting  dis- 
grace to  a nation  calling  itself  civilized.  Indeed  I am  sorry 
to  add,  that  the  charge  of  cruelty  against  the  French  gene- 
ral  Buonaparte,  does  not  rest  here.  It  having  been  report- 
ed, that,  previously  to  the  retreat  of  the  French  army  from 
Syria,  their  commander  in  chief,  Buonaparte,  had  ordered 
all  the  sick  at  Jaffa  to  be  poisoned,  I was  led  to  make  the 
inquiry,  to  which  every  one  who  had  visited  the  spot  would 
naturally  be  directed,  respecting  an  act  of  such  singular,  and 
it  should  seem,  wanton  inhumanity.  It  concerns  me  to 
have  to  state,  not  only  that  such  a circumstance  was  posi- 
tively asserted  to  have  happened,  but,  that  while  in  Egypt, 


262 


THE  LIFE  OF 


an  individual  was  pointed  out  to  us  as  having  been  the  exe- 
cutioner of  these  diabolical  commands .” 

General  Andreossi,  the  ambassador  of  Buonaparte  at  the 
court  of  Great  Britain,  complained  to  lord  Hawkesbury  of 
these  statements.  Sir  Robert  Wilson  being  informed  of 
general  Andreossi’s  complaint,  wrote  the  following  letters 
to  the  editors  of  the  public  papers  : 

“ In  the  official  correspondence  lately  published,  there 
appear  some  remarks  which  the  French  ambassador  was  in- 
structed to  make  on  my  history  of  the  British  expedition  to 
Egypt,  and  of  which  I feel  called  upon  to  take  notice,  not 
in  personal  controversy  with  general  Andreossi,  tor,  con- 
scious of  the  superior  virtue  of  my  cause,  I feel  myself 
neither  aggrieved  nor  irritated  by  the  language  he  has  used, 
but  that  the  public  may  not  attribute  my  silence  to  a desire 
of  evading  further  discussion,  and  thus  the  shallow  mode  of 
contradiction  adopted  by  the  chief  consul  acquire  an  unmer- 
ited consideration. 

“ The  ambassador  observes,  ‘ That  a colonel  in  the  Eng- 
lish army  has  published  a work  in  England,  filled  with  the 
most  atrocious  and  disgusting  calumnies,  against  the  French 
army  and  its  general.  The  lies  it  contains  have  been  con- 
tradicted by  the  reception  which  colonel  Sebastiani  experi- 
enced. The  publicity  of  his  Report  was  at  once  a refuta- 
tion and  reparation  which  the  French  army  had  a right  to 
expect.’ 

“ But  surely  a new  signification  must  have  been  attached 
in  France  to  the  word  calumny , when  such  a term  is  applied 
to  my  account  of  the  conduct  of  the  French  troops  in 
Egypt,  and  the  consequent  disposition  of  the  inhabitants 
towards  them  ! 

“ Independent,  however  of  the  proofs  to  be  adduced  in 
corroboration  of  my  statement,  Europe  may  justly  appre- 
ciate the  probable  truth  of  what  I have  written,  when  she 
recollects  the  unparalleled  sufferings  endured  by  the  unof- 
fending countries  into  which,  during  the  last  war,  a French 
army  penetrated  ! and  she  will,  at  least,  hesitate  to  believe, 
that,  the  same  armies  should  voluntarily  ameliorate  ‘ their 
conduct  in  a country  more  remote,  where  the  atrocities  they 
might  commit  would  be  less  liable  to  publicity,  and  that  this 
extraordinary  change  should  be  in  favour  of  a people  whose 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


263 


principles  and  resistance  might  have  excited  the  resentment 
of  more  generous  invaders  ! 

“ I will  not  enter  into  any  unnecessary  detail  of  the  nu- 
merous facts,  which  I could  urge  ; but  I appeal  to  the  hon- 
our of  every  British  officer  employed  in  Egypt,  whether 
those  observations  are  not  saGredly  true,  which  describe  the 
French  as  being  hateful  to  the  inhabitants  of  that  country, 
who  represent  them  as  having  merited  that  hatred  from  the 
ruin  and  devastation  with  which  their  progress  through  it 
has  been  marked?  and  I am  ready,  if  there  be  one  whore- 
fuses  to  sanction  this  relation,  to  resign  for  ever  every  pre- 
tension to  honourable  reputation,  and  submit,  without  a 
further  struggle,  to  that  odium  which  would  attach  to  ca- 
lumny and  a wilful  perversion  of  truth. 

“ But  I feel  confident,  there  is  no  individual  who  will 
not  amply  confirm  all  that  I have  written  on  the  subject; 
i and  perhaps  Europe  has  a right  to  condemn  me,  for  not 
having  made  the  accusations  stiil  stronger,  when  I can  pro- 
duce frequent  general  orders  of  the  French  army,  for  the 
destruction  of  villages,  and  their  inhabitants  ; when  I can 
prove,  that,  above  forty  thousand  of  the  natives  perished 
by  the  swords  of  the  French  soldiery;  and  that  every  act  of 
i violence  was  committed,  and  particularly  in  Upper  Egypt, 

| which  could  outrage  humanity,  and  disgrace  civilized  na- 
tions ! When  writing  a history  of  the  campaign,  was  it 
possible  not  to  express  indignation  against  the  authors  of 
I such  calamities?  Would  it  have  been  natural  not  to  have 
felt  the  animation  of  that  virtuous  pride,  which  reflection  on 
the  different  conduct  of  the  British  soldiery  must  inspire  in 
Ij  the  heart  of  every  Briton  ? I have  asserted  that  a British 
soldier  could  traverse  alone  through  any  part  of  Egypt,  or 
even  penetrate  into  the  desert,  secure  from  injury  or  insult. 
I have  described  the  natives,  as  considering  the  British  their 
y.  benefactors  and  protectors,  soliciting  opportunities  to  man- 
I;  ifest  their  gratitude,  and  esteeming  their  uniform  as  sacred 
as  the  turban  of  Mahometanism  ; and  I may  venture  to 
I predict,  that  hereafter,  the  French  traveller  will  be  com- 
|j  polled  to  conceal  the  name  of  his  nation,  and  owe  his  se- 
curity to  the  assumption  of  a British  character  ! 

“ But  does  the  effect  of  colonel  Sebastiani’s  Report  jus- 
tify the  chief  consul’s  conclusion,  ‘ that  it  il>  a complete  re- 
futation of  what  I have  advanced,’  even  if  we  attach  to  that 


2G4 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Report  implicit  belief  in  its  candour  and  veracity  ? Is  it  pos- 
sible that  the  chief  consul  can  suppose  the  world  will  tract 
respect  for  the  French  name  in  the  circumstance  which  oc- 
curred to  colonel  Sebastiani  at  Cairo,  and  which  rendered 
it  necessary  for  him  to  demand  protection  from  the  vizier  ?* 
or,  would  he  imagine,  that  the  apologue  of  Dgezzar  pacha 
was  not  intelligible,  even  previous  to  the  instructions  being 
published,  which  M.  Talleyrand  transmitted  to  the  French 
commercial  agents  ? 

“ That  illustrious  senator,  to  whose  virtues  and  stupen- 
dous talents  England  owes  so  much  of  her  prosperity,  has 
declared,  that  this  report  of  colonel  Sebastiani  in  no  case 
contradicts  my  statement : and  I should  consider  that  high 
opinion  as  amply  sufficient  to  remove  any  impression  which 
the  French  ambassador’s  note  might,  otherwise,  have  made, 
did  I not  think  it  a duty  to  press  some  observations  on  that 
part  of  the  paragraph  which  alludes  to  the  direct  accusation 
against  general  Buonaparte,  that  the  public  may  know  I was 
fully  aware  of  the  important  responsibility  which  I had 
voluntarily  undertaken,  and  in  which  much  national  honour 
was  involved.  I would  wish  the  world  seriously  to 
amine,  whether  the  accuser  or  accused  has  shrunk  from  the 
investigation,  and  then  hold  him  as  guilty  who  has  with- 
drawn from  the  tribunal  of  enquiry. 

“ I avowed  that  I was  his  public  accuser  : I stood  pre- 
pared to  support  the  charges.  The  courts  of  my  country 
were  open  to  that  mode  of  trial,  which,  as  an  honest  man, 
he  could  alone  have  required,  but  of  which  he  did  not  dare 
to  avail  himself.  It  was  no  anonymous  libeller  against  whom 
he  was  to  have  filed  his  answer,  but  against  one  (and  with 


* ‘‘  Mustapha  Oukil,  one  of  the  chiefs  of  the  city,  passed  before  me  on  horseback  jj 
in  passing,  lie  reproached  my  guides  with  marching  before  a Christian,  and  above  all 
before  a Frenchman ! and  menaced  them  with  the  bastinado  after  my  departure, 
could  not  be  silent  under  such  an  insult,  and.  upon  my  return,  l sent  citizen  Joubei  i 
to  the  pacha,  to  make  my  complaint,  and  demand  a prompt  redress  I declared  t|| 
him,  ‘ that  1 expected  this  man  would  come  publicly  to  me  to  ask  my  pardon,  placll 
himself  at  my  disposal,  and  implore  my  pity  !’  He  found  that  Mustapha  was  greatljl 
protected  by  the  pacha,  and  wanted  to  arrange  it  otherwise  ; but  I persisted,  by  di|  I 
clai'in"  formally  to  the  pacha,  ‘ that  if  this  reparation  was  not  made  in  the  manner  P 
which3I  demanded  it,  f should  instantly  depart  and  immediately  write  to  Paris  ai'jl 
Constantinople  to  stale  my  complaints  ’ This  declaration  produced  ail  the  effect  whiiA 
I expected,  and  Mustapha,  alarmed,  came,  on  the  following  day,  to  me,  conduct'  1 
by  Uosetti,  and  he,  publicly  asked  my  pardon,  and  put  himself  at  my  disposal.  1 ti  ll 
),im  t that  tny  first  intention  had  been  to  cut  off  his  head,  and  that  I only  gave  him  i l! 
life  at  the  solicitations  of  the  pacha  and  M Rosetti  ; but  if,  in  future,  he  should  ev’j 
insult  the  French,  or  those  in  their  suite,  bis  destruction  would  b inevitable.'  I I 
affair,  which  was  instantly  spread  throughout  the  whole  city,  produced  the  best  effect! 

Sebasticmi’s  Report, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


265 


©ut  any  indecent  vanity  I may  say  it)  whose  rank  and  char- 
acter would  have  justified  his  most  serious  attention. 

“ The  charges  were  too  awful  to  be  treated  with  neglect, 
and  we  know  that  they  have  not  been  read  with  indifference. 
Nor  is  it  possible  that  the  first  consul  can  imagine  the  fame 
of  general  Buonaparte  is  less  sullied,  because  a few  snuff- 
boxes, bearing  his  portrait,  were  received  by  some  timid  or 
avaricious  individuals  with  expressions  of  esteem : or,  can  he 
hope,  that  the  contemptible,  but  not  less  unworthy,  insin- 
uation, directed  against  the  gallant  and  inestimable  British 
general,  will  divert  mankind  from  a reflection  on  the  crimes 
with  which  he  stands  arraigned  ? 

“ Those  crimes  were  so  enormous,  as,  from  their  mag- 
nitude, to  stagger  belief ; and,  notwithstanding  the  irrefra- 
gable evidence  of  their  commission,  the  mind  still  disposed 
itself  rather  to  receive  the  impression  of  astonishment  than 
conviction  ; but,  at  length,  this  sentiment  is  overpowered 
ay  the  weight  of  guilt ; and  the  name  of  Jaffa,  echoed  by 
:he  Turks  to  inspire  feelings  of  indignation  and  revenge,  is 
10  longer  heard  in  Europe  without  emotions  of  horror.  Se- 
oastiani  himself  recoiled  at  the  recollection,  and  fled  from, 
his  place  of  terror,  preferring  to  increase  the  presumptive 
iroofs  against  his  master  rather  than  to  visit  a spot  so  pol- 
uted  by  his  infamy,  or  hazard  the  effects  of  that  resentment 
vhich  a justifiable  vengeance  might  have  inflicted  on  the  fa- 
vourite. 

“ Fortunately  for  Europe,  she  has  become  more  intimate- 
Y acquainted  with  the  principles  of  this  hitherto  miscon- 
eived  man ; and  I confess  that  it  gives  me  considerable 
[ratification  to  indulge  the  thought,  that  I have  contributed 
o their  development. 

“ Success  may,  for  inscrutable  purposes,  continue  to  at- 
ind  him ; abject  senates  may  decree  him  a throne  or  the 
antheou ; but  history  shall  render  injured  humanity  jus- 
ce.” 

But  if  the  reputation  of  Buonaparte  was  forcibly  assailed 
y an  English  officer,  .there  were  English  writers  who  ea- 
erly  defended  him  It  may  be  proper  to  select  the  senti- 
lents  of  one  of  them,  as  a specimen  of  the  manner  in  which 
le  defence  was  conducted.  The  annual  review  for  1803 
lited  by  Arthur  Aikin,  observes  thus: 

“ In  the  late  war,  and  in  the  present,  the  British  minis 

34 


266 


THE  LIFE  OF 


try  has  been  loudly  accused  of  participating  in  and  encour- 
aging those  plans  of  assassination  which  have  been  directed 
against  the  person  of  the  chief  magistrate  (Buonaparte  at 
that  time  was  first  consul)  of  France.  Let  the  ministry,  if 
they  can  with  truth,  vindicate  themselves  from  so  black  a 
charge,  by  a solemn  and  authentic  disavowal ; and  let  the 
British  public  shew  the  high  honour  and  intrepid  courage  for 
which  they  have  long  been  renowned,  by  consigning  to 
merited  contempt  and  abhorrence  all  works,  together  with ; 
their  authors,  whose  direct  tendency  is  to  degrade  the  gen- 
erous and  high-spirited  patriot  into  the  lurking  assassin.” 

Respecting  the  Turks,  who  were  thus  slain,  it  should  be 
candidly  stated,  that  Buonaparte  had,  formerly,  given  them 
their  liberty,  on  condition  that  they  would  not  again  serve 
against  the  French ; whilst,  on  the  other  hand,  it  should  be 
recollected,  that,  if  they  had  not  obeyed  the  commands  of 
the  pacha,  by  violating  the  terms  of  the  capitulation,  they 
would  have  been  slaughtered  for  disobedience  of  orders  by 
their  own  countrymen.  It  would,  however,  have  been 
honourable  to  Buonaparte  if  he  had  considered  this  circum- 
stance before  he  ordered  such  an  immense  number  of  meti; 
to  be  indiscriminately  put  to  death. — Such  actions  as  this 
stain  the  character  of  the  soldier,  and  render  the  hero  a de- 
stroyer. Purity  of  principle  is  obscured  by  the  inflexible 
and  unmitigated  execution  of  sanguinary  purposes,  ever 
though  intended  for  example. — The  laws  of  Draco  were  not 
the  more  just  because  their  penalties  were  bloody. 

The  assertion,  that  Buonaparte  ordered  poison  to  be  ad 
ministered  in  the  hospitals  to  his  own  sick  soldiers,  seem; 
destitute  of  that  proof  which  is  esssential  to  its  authenticity 
Dr.  Desgenette,  the  physician  general  to  the  army,  tli 
person  alluded  to  as  having  received  these  orders,  and  rc 
fused  to  execute  them,  in  his  Histoire  Medicale  deVAr 
mee  d’Orient,  p.  49,  50,  expressly  declares,  “ that  the  genii 
eral  in  chief  showed  the  utmost  attention  and  tenderness  t< 
the  soldiers  afflicted  with  the  plague,  visited  them  in  per 
son  whilst  confined  by  that  dreadful  malady,  and  even  as 
sisted  in  the  most  menial  offices  for  their  relief.”  ■; 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


267 


CHAPTER  XVII. 


Insurrection  blazed  in  the  southern  and  western  de- 
partments of  France,  clubs  of  the  jacobins  were  formed  in 
the  capital,  and  general  Jourdan  had  proposed  a decree,  in 
the  council  of  five  hundred,  once  more  declaring  “ the  coun- 
try in  danger when  Buonaparte,  unexpectedly,  arrived 
at  Paris. 

The  news  flew  round  the  city  with  the  rapidity  of  light- 
ning : the  Parisians  eagerly  thronged  to  behold  the  “ con- 
queror of  Egypt they  surrounded  him,  and  each  seemed 
more  desirous  than  the  other  of  welcoming  his  return.  His 
manners  appeared  more  affable  than  they  were  before  he 
quitted  France : he  spoke  freely  to  the  people,  and  shook 
several  soldiers  by  the  hand  who  had  served  with  him  in 
Italy.  His  complexion,  bronzed  by  the  Egyptian  suns, 
and  his  hair,  cut  short  and  without  powder,  gave  him  an 
appearance  of  greater  manliness  and  strength  than  were  ob- 
servable in  him  previous  to  his  leaving  Europe.  He  was 
out  of  uniform,  and  wore  a grey  riding-coat,  with  a silk 
scarf  over  his  shoulder  suspending  a Turkish  sabre.  He 
passed  along  the  courts  and  streets  leading  to  the  Luxem- 
|bourg  amidst  the  acclamations  of  the  populace,  and  imme- 
diately had  a private  audience  of  the  directory. 

Sieyes  the  director  had  long  foreseen  the  consequences 
! which  were  likely  to  result  from  the  imbecility  of  the  gov-, 
ernment,  the  energy  of  the  factions,  and  the  anarchy  of  the 
people  ; he  saw,  that,  if  means  were  not  adopted  to  render 
the  executive  power  sufficiently  strong  to  be  feared,  that 
it  would  not  be  respected.  He  despised  each  of  his  col- 
leagues, and  only  one  of  them  had  his  confidence : this  was 
| Roger  Ducos,  who  looked  up  to  Sieyes  as  an  oracle, 
and  attached  himself  to  him,  because  he  had  just  foresight 
1 to  perceive,  that,  if  the  directory  fell,  Sieyes  alone  was  ca- 
I pable  of  saving  himself  from  the  contempt  of  the  people  : 
f to  Sieyes,  then,  Ducos  had  allied  his  own  fortune,  and  he 
j I was  completely  the  disciple  of  his  brother  director. 

Sieyes  disclosed  to  Ducos  his  intention  of  calling  in  the 
aid  of  one  of  the  generals,  to  save  the  republic  and  them- 
selves by  overthrowing  the  directory  : he  was  secretly  pleas- 
ed at  that  joy  of  the  people,  on  the  arrival  of  their  favourite. 


268 


THE  LIFE  OF 


which  alarmed  the  other  directors  ; he  welcomed  him  to  his 
apartments  in  the  Luxembourg,  disclosed  10  him  his  project, 
and  required  his  aid  in  its  execution.  The  wile  of  the  ex- 
priest, and  the  arts  of  the  ex- chief  of  the  army  of  Egypt, 
combined  a plan,  in  which  both  engaged  from  individual 
ambition,  without  any  regard  to  the  interests  or  intention 
of  the  other : each  so  well  concealed  his  own  design  that 
they  duped  one  another;  and  very  little  remained,  but  to 
strike  the  blow,  and  to  take  the  full  advantage  of  its  suc- 
cess, which  each  supposed  he  should  immediately  possess 
himself  of  in  his  own  way. 

Various  secret  conferences  were  now  held,  at  which  the 
director  Sieyes,  the  director  Roger  Ducos,  Talleyrand, 
Fouche,  Volney,  Roederer,  Rheinhard,  and  Buonaparte,  with 
his  brothers  Lucien  and  Joseph,  were  present:  few  others 
of  any  consequence  were  entrusted  with  the  conspiracy, 
but  those  who  were,  managed  their  confidence  with  great 
discretion.  They  created  various  rumours;  and,  among 
others,  a rumour  that  a new  plan  of  government  was  form- 
ing for  the  republic.  Thus  a change  was  generally  talked 
of  amongst  the  people,  without  any  one  knowing  from 
whence  it  was  to  proceed,  or  when  it  would  be  : the  public 
mind  was,  however,  prepared  for  a change,  come  whenever 
it  might ; and  all  that  seemed  necessary  to  make  it  to  the 
taste  of  the  Parisians  was  the  destruction  of  the  directory. 
A few  of  the  council  of  ancients  and  of  the  council  of  five 
hundred  were  also  in  the  secret. 

Buonaparte  appeared  very  little  in  public  ; he  seemed  to  i 
court  seclusion  from  the  gaze  of  the  curiosity  of  the  idle, 
and  he  declined  the  visits  of  those  who  had  no  real  business  ; 
to  transact  with  him ; every  body  talked  of  him,  but  of 
those  who  talked  very  few  knew  any  thing  about  him.  He 
was  busied  in  attaching  to  himself  men  of  talents  and  enter- 
prise, whose  interest  was  to  be  silent,  that  their  plans  might 
be  secure  in  their  operation. 

Sieyes  and  Ducos  acted  their  parts  in  a very  natural  way, 
and  in  a manner  well  calculated  to  lull  their  brother  directors 
in  security : they  prevailed  on  them  to  invite  general  Buo- 
naparte and  general  Moreau  to  a public  dinner.  A grand 
entertainment  was,  accordingly,  given,  by  the  directory  and 
the  councils,  to  those  generals  and  their  friends,  in  the 
temple  of  Victory  (the  church  St.  Sulpice.)  The  compa- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


269 


by  consisted  of  near  eight  hundred  persons,  including  most 
of  the  great  public  functionaries  of  the  republic.  The 
leading  men  of  the  different  factions  were  assembled  at  this 
feast,  which  seemed  intended  for  the  purpose  of  softening 
their  personal  dislikes,  by  making  them  social  and  acquaint- 
ed with  each  other.  The  toast  given  by  the  president  of 
i the  directory  was  “ Peace  !”  and  that  by  Buonaparte,  “ A 
union  of  all  parties  nevertheless,  it  was  evident,  that 
this  was  a mere  dinner  of  ceremony  ; the  whole  company 
viewed  each  other  with  distrust ; there  was  neither  mirth 
nor  confidence : and,  though  the  meeting  pretended  to 
effect  a union  of  parties,  it  seemed  only  to  put  them  further 
asunder.  Buonaparte  quitted  the  room  after  a few  toasts 
were  given ; and  the  whole  ceremony  did  not  last  three 
hours'. 

The  company  separated,  each  in  mutual  distrust  of  the 
i intentions  of  the  other,  and  without  having  felt  any  desire 
of  subduing  their  individual  animosities,  or  of  repressing 
their  ambitious  pretensions.  The  least  inclined  of  any  of 
I the  festive  band  to  forego  his  designs  was  Buonaparte  ; for 
the  very  evening  of  the  day  on  which  he  gave  “ A union  of 
I all  parties”  as  a toast,  he  met  his  own  party  in  secret,  at 
the  house  of  M.  le  Mercier,  president  of  the  council  of 
ancients,  to  finally  determine  on  those  measures  which  it 
had  been  agreed  should  be  adopted,  and  to  assign  to  each 
individual  the  part  that  he  was  destined  to  act,  in  the  con- 
i spiracy  against  the  directory. 

The  committee  of  inspectors  belonging  to  the  council  of 
ancients,  at  five  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  18th  Bru- 
maire,  (the  9th  November,  1799,)  sent  messages  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  members  of  that  body,  who  had  been 
1 selected  for  that  purpose  by  Buonaparte  and  his  adherents, 
but  of  whom  very  few  were  acquainted  with  the  conspira- 
• cy — they  were  required  to  meet  at  eight  o’clock  in*  the 
Thuilleries.  When  they  met,  it  appeared  that  the  most 
violent  of  the  jacobins,  in  number  about  an  hundred,  were 
not  assembled — they  had  not  been  summoned,  and  were 
ignorant  of  the  meeting. 

Cornet,  reporter  of  the  committee,  opened  the  meeting 
with  a speech,  in  which  he  forcibly  stated  the  dangers  of  the 
republic,  and  the  designs  of  the  factious ; and  ended  with 
proposing,  that  the  assembly,  according  to  the  102d  and 


270 


THE  LIFE  OF 


103d  articles  of  the  constitution,  should  adjourn  to  St. 
Cloud  ; that  the  general,  Buonaparte,  should  be  charged  to 
put  the  decree  in  execution  ; and  that,  for  that  purpose,  he 
should  be  appointed  commander  of  all  the  troops  in  Paris, 
as  well  as  of  the  guard  of  the  assemblies,  and  the  national 
guard.  This  decree  was  passed  by  a great  majority. 

“ This  measure  (said  the  proclamation,  that  was  imme- 
diately issued)  has  been  adopted  by  the  council  of  ancients 
in  order  to  repress  the  factions,  which  pretended  to  enslave 
the  national  representation,  and  in  order  to  restore  the  in- 
ternal peace. 

“ This  measure  is  to  open  a way  for  the  external  peace, 
which  your  long  sacrifices  and  humanity  demand.  This 
constitutional  measure  has  no  other  aim  but  the  safety  and 
the  prosperity  of  us  all.  Such  an  object  shall  be  accom- 
plished. 

“ And  you  inhabitants  of  Paris,  be  easy ; in  a short  time 
the  legislature  will  return  to  your  city. 

“ Frenchmen  ! the  subsequent  events  will  soon  prove 
whether  the  legislature  may  be  entrusted  with  the  honoura- 
ble task  of  preparing  your  happiness. 

“ Long  live  the  people  ! by  and  with  whom  the  common- 
wealth exists.” 

Buonaparte  immediately  appeared  at  the  bar,  attended  by 
generals  Berthier,  Moreau,  Lefebvre,  Macdonald,  and 
others.  Being  informed  by  the  president,  of  his  appoint- 
ment, he  spake  as  follows  : 

“ CITIZEN  REPRESENTATIVES  ! 

“ The  republic  was  perishing — you  knew  this,  and  your 
decree  has  saved  it.  Woe  be  to  those  who  wish  for  anar- 
chy, whoever  they  be ! aided  by  generals  Berthier,  Le- 
febvre, and  all  my  brave  companions  in  arms,  I shall  arrest 
their  course;  Let  us  not  seek  in  the  past  for  examples  to 
justify  the  present ; for  nothing  in  history  resembles  the 
conclusion  of  the  eighteenth  century,  and  nothing  in  that, 
resembles  the  present  moment. 

“ Your  wisdom  has  issued  this  decree — our  arms  shall 
execute  it.  We  demand  a republic  founded  on  a just  ba- 
sis, on  true  liberty,  on  civil  liberty  and  national  representa- 
tion, and  we  will  have  it.  We  will  have  it — I swear  it — 
I swear  it  in  my  own  name,  and  in  the  names  of  my  brave 
comrades.” 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


271 


The  19th  ofBrumaire  (10th  of  November)  was  big  with 
important  events.  The  castle  of  St.  Cloud  was  surrounded 
by  troops  in  the  morning  before  day-light.  In  conformity 
to  the  decree  of  the  council  of  ancients,  that  body  and  the 
council  of  five  hundred  were  to  hold  their  sittings  there  at 
noon  : by  that  time  the  members  had  repaired  there  in  great 
numbers.  Every  avenue  being  strictly  guarded,  the  deputies 
could  not  pass  without  shewing  their  medal : only  a few  other 
individuals,  who  had  tickets,  were  permitted  to  enter  with 
them.  The  picture  gallery  was  appointed  for  the  council 
of  ancients  and  the  Orangerie  for  the  council  of  five  hun- 
dred : but  the  sittings,  which  had  been  appointed  for  twelve, 
did  not  take  place  till  two  o’clock,  owing  to  the  prepara- 
tions of  the  workmen  not  being  finished. 

The  debates  were  opened  in  the  council  of  five  hundred 
by  a speech  from  Gaudin,  proposing  a committee  of  seven 
members,  to  take  into  consideration  the  best  means  of  pro- 
viding for  the  public  safety.  It  was  expected  that  this  mo- 
tion would  have  been  immediately  carried ; but  scarcely  had 
it  been  suggested,  when  several  members  of  the  jacobin 
party  darted  forward  into  the  tribune ; all  eager  to  be  heard. 
The  cry  of  “down  with  dictators!”  became  general: 
others  exclaimed,  “ the  constitution  or  death  ! we  are  not 
afraid  of  bayonets,  we  will  die  at  our  post !”  and  some  pro- 
posed that  every  member  should  take  a fresh  oath  to  pre- 
serve the  constitution.  The  members  of  the  other  party 
were  so  much  thrown  off  their  guard,  that  the  cry  of  “ long 
live  the  constitution  !”  became  general,  and  the  motion  fof 
taking  the  oath  was  agreed  to.  This  was  a great  victory 
for  the  jacobins,  it  gave  them  time,  which  was  all  they 
wanted.  The  ceremony  of  renewing  the  oath  took  up  two 
hours : and  when  this  was  over,  various  propositions  were 
offered  and  discussed  amidst  great  confusion.  At  length 
some  motions  were  proposed  and  adopted,  totally  opposite 
to  the  intentions  of  those  who  had  procured  the  adjourn- 
ment of  the  meeting  to  St.  Cloud. 

A letter  was  now  brought  in,  addressed  to  the  council : 
it  was  opened  by  the  president,  who  announced  that  it  came 
from  Barras.  On  being  read,  it  imported  his  resignation, 
but  was  couched  in  such  guarded  and  ambiguous  terms  as 
seemed  to  intimate  a desire  to  be  employed  in  the  new  go- 
vernment ; and  the  letter  gave  rise  to  a violent  debate,  on 


272 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  question,  whether  the  assembly  should  proceed  to  the 
election  of  a new  director  ? Much  of  the  confusion  arose 
from  the  members  who  were  well  disposed  towards  a change 
of  government,  but  who  had  come  to  the  assembly  totally 
ignorant  of  what  was  intended  b)  Buonaparte.  They  had 
been  easily  induced  to  listen  to  the  extravagant  reports  which 
were  circulated  by  the  jacobins,  who  produced  all  the  con- 
fusion which  had  arisen. 

The  danger  became  imminent,  and  the  prevention  of  a 
civil  war  required  that  some  vigorous  measures  should  be 
taken  to  complete  the  revolution.  Buonaparte  being  in- 
formed of  the  tumultuous  discussions  became  violently  agi- 
tated. He  hastened  to  the  council  of  ancients,  and,  having 
left  his  arms  in  an  antichamber,  entered  the  assembly,  and 
requested  permission  to  address  the  sitting. 

The  council  of  five  hundred  were  engaged  in  violent  dis- 
cussion, when  Buonaparte  suddenly  entered  the  hall,  un- 
armed, and  accompanied  by  a few  grenadiers  also  without 
arms,  and  who  waited  within  the  door. — He  advanced  to- 
wards the  top  of  the  hall,  and  the  council  was  instantly  in 
motion  : “ A general  here  !”  cried  they,  “ what  does  Buo- 
naparte want  with  us?  This  is  not  your  place.”  Some  of 
the  members  flew  to  the  tribunes,  others  hastened  towards 
Buonaparte,  vehemently  exclaiming,  “ No  dictators  ! Down 
with  the  tyrant ! Down  with  him  ! Kill  him,  kill  him  !” — - 
He  was  pushed  back  and  struck  at.  Several  of  the  council 
drew  poniards  and  pistols  ; and  Arena,  a native  of  Corsica, 
and  one  of  the  deputies,  aimed  a blow  at  him  with  a dag- 
ger. Thome,  a grenadier,  parried  it  with  his  arm,  and  was 
wounded.  By  another  blow  Buonaparte  was  wounded  in 
the  cheek. 

The  president,  Lucien  Buonaparte,  with  great  difficulty 
obtained  leave  to  speak  : “ The  general,”  said  he,  “has, 
undoubtedly,  no  other  intention  than  to  acquaint  the  coun- 
cil with  the  present  situation  of  affairs.” — Loud  clamours 
and  threats  prevented  his  being  heard  any  further ; and  the 
general  was  so  overpowered  by  the  number  of  those  who 
rushed  forward  to  attack  him,  that  he  was  on  the  point  of 
falling,  when  general  Lefebvre  rushed  into  the  hall  with  a 
body  of  armed  grenadiers,  who  surrounded  him  and  carried 
him  out.  As  soon  as  the  soldiers  had  left  the  hall,  the  mem- 
bers instantly  decreed,  that  the  council  of  ancients  had  no 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  273 

power  to  invest  Buonaparte  with  the  command,  as  that  au- 
thority could  be  conferred  by  the  directory  alone.  The 
president,  Lucien,  animadverted  with  great  energy  on  the 
disorders  of  the  day,  and  on  the  ferocious  insults  which 
some  of  the  members  had  offered  towards  an  illustrious 
general,  who  had  rendered  the  most  signal  and  permanent 
services  to  the  republic — Several  members  cried  out,  “Out- 
law him  ! he  has  disgraced  his  military  character,  and  he 
deserves  death  from  the  hand  of  every  patriot others  said, 
“ The  president  is  in  the  conspiracy,  or  he  would  have  pro- 
claimed the  general  outlawed.”  The  assembly  had  be- 
come a mob,  and  the  president  was  attacked  on  all  sides. 
His  authority  being  no  longer  submitted  to,  and  his  life  even 
endangered  ; he  darted  from  the  chair — indignantly  strip- 
ped himself  of  the  insignia  of  his  office,  and  made  his  way 
to  the  tribune  ; when  he  had  mounted  it,  he  attempted  to 
make  himself  be  heard — his  voice  was  drowned  in  loud 
cries  against  himself  and  his  brother. — He  violently  exert- 
ed himself,  but  to  no  effect ; and  tears  of  agony  and  in- 
dignation started  from  eyes.  His  destruction  seemed  al- 
most inevitable,  . 

When  the  soldiers,  by  whom  general  Buonaparte  was 
rescued,  had  escorted  him  to  the  outside  of  the  hall,  in  a 
few  instants  recovered  from  the  fatigue  of  his  late  danger 
— he  hastened  to  the  court  of  the  castle,  where  the  troops 
were  drawn  up,  and  instantly  addressed  them  ; “ Soldiers,” 
said  he,  “ Every  body  thought  that  the  council  of  five 
hundred  would  save  the  country,  but,  instead  of  that,  I 
have  seen  only  a furious  and  outrageous  mob,  ready  to  de- 
stroy me.  I have  some  enemies  ; comrades,  may  I rely  on 
you.”  “ Yes,  yes,”  shouted  they,  “ Long  live  Buona- 
parte 1” — He  selected  some  grenadiers,  who  threw  open  the 
doors  of  the  hall,  just  as  Lucien  had  feared  that  he  should 
fail  by  the  stilettos  of  the  deputies.  He  was  carried  off 
amidst  their  vociferations,  and  he  immediately  proceeded  to 
the  council  of  ancients,  to  whom  he  related  the  recent 
danger  of  his  brother  and  himself,  in  the  council  of  five 
hundred.  Lucien  was  interrupted  in  his  speech,  by  Regnier 
observing  the  irregularity  of  letting  a member  of  the  coun- 
cil of  five  hundred  speak  in  the  council  of  elders.  This 
objection,  however,  was  overlooked,  and  Lucien  Buonaparte 
aiterwards  went  to  his  brother,  who  was  inspiring  the  troops 

35 


274 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Jo  the  accomplishment  of  his  object : after  a moment’s  con 
ference  with  the  general,  Lucien  mounted  a horse,  in  order 
to  be  better  seen  and  heard,  and  addressed  the  soldiers  to  the 
following  effect  : 

“ Citizens! — As  president  of  the  council  of  five 
hundred  I declare  to  you,  that  the  immense  majority  of 
the  council  is  now  subdued  by  the  terror  of  some  repre- 
sentatives, armed  with  poniards,  and  threatening  with  death 
those  who  would  refuse  to  comply  with  their  destructive 
measures.  I declare  to  you,  that  those  audacious  assassins, 
no  doubt  paid  by  England,  are  in  a state  of  rebellion  against 
the  council  of  ancients,  and  have  threatened  with  an  out- 
lawry the  very  general  intrusted  with  the  wise  measures  of 
that  council,  as  if  we  were  still  in  the  dreadful  times  of  their 
reign,  when  the  word  outlawed ! was  sufficient  to  cut  off 
the  most  illustrious  heads  of  the  country.  1 declare  to  you, 
that  those  few  assassins  are  themselves  outlawed  for  having 
attacked  the  liberty  of  that  council.  In  the  name  of  the 
people,  who,  since  so  many  years,  are  the  victims  of  those 
wretched  children  of  terror,  I entrust  to  the  brave  soldiers 
the  honourable  task  of  rescuing  the  majority  of  the  repre- 
sentatives ; in  order,  that,  after  being  protected  by  the  bay- 
onets against  the  poniards,  they  may  be  able  to  deliberate 
for  the  welfare  of  the  republic. 

“ General ! soldiers!  and  citizens  ! you  will  only  ac- 
knowledge for  French  legislators  those  who  follow  me  out 
of  that  seditious  assembly ; those  who  remain  in  the  Qr- 
angerie  must  be  driven  from  thence  by  force.  Those  as- 
sassins are  not  representatives  of  the  people,  but  represen- 
tatives of  the  poniard : such  shall  be  their  title  wherever 
they  may  go  ; and,  whenever  they  will  dare  to  show  them-  : 
selves  to'  the  people,  let  them  be  pointed  at  under  the  de- 
served appellation  of  “ representatives  of  the  poniard.” 

Lucien  Buonaparte  concluded  his  speech  by  crying  out 
“ Lono-  live  the  republic  !”  and  the  soldiers  shouted , 
u Loup-  live  the  republic  ! Long  live  Buonaparte  !” 

General  Serrurier  made  the  following  short  and  energetic; 
speech  to  the  soldiers  : 

“Soldiers  ! — The  council  of  elders  approves  gener 
al  Buonaparte,  whom  the  council  of  five  hundred  had 
attempted  to  assassinate.  Villains  ! we  will  overcome  them 
and  peace  shall  be  restored.” 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


275 


The  troops  were  then  ordered  to  enter  the  hall  of  the 
council  of  five  hundred.  The  commanding  officer  ex- 
claimed : “ General  Buonaparte  commands  us  to  clear  the 
hall.”  The  grenadiers  advanced  and  filled  the  first  half  of 
the  hall,  the  other  half  was  occupied  by  the  deputies  who 
! did  not  retire,  and  who  had  crowded  round  the  president’s 
chair.  A member,  called Talot,  said  to  the  soldiers  : “What 
are  you  soldiers  ? You  are  the  guardians  of  the  national 
representation — and  you  dare  to  menace  its  safety  and  in- 
dependence ! Is  it  thus  you  tarnish  the  laurels  you  have 
! gained  in  battle  ?”  Many  of  the  members  addressed  the 
! soldiers,  conjuring  them  in  the  name  of  liberty  not  to  fol- 
low their  leaders.  The  drums  now  beat  and  the  voices  of 
the  members  could  not  be  heard.  The  grenadiers  then 
brought  their  muskets  to  the  charge,  and  a dreadful  scene 
of  alarm  and  dismay  was  exhibited  by  the  tardy  deputies  : 
in  their  haste  to  escape  from  the  bayonets  of  the  soldiers 
jthey  choaked  up  the  windows  and  doors  and  tumbled  over 
one  another.  The  chamber  was  soon  cleared  of  them, 
amidst  the  cries,  by  the  soldiers,  of  “ Long  live  the  repub- 
lic ! long  live  Buonaparte  !”  and  they  were  received  on  the 
Outside  by  the  bootings  and  hisses  of  the  people. 

The  council  of  ancients  was  acquainted  with  the  occur- 
rences in  the  hall  of  the  council  of  five  hundred. 

About  nine  o’clock  those  members  of  the  council  of 
live  hundred  who  had  followed  Lucien  Buonaparte,  their 
president,  were  again  assembled  in  the  Orangerie,  under 
he  protection  of  the  troops.  Lucien  once  more  took  the 
chair  in  safety,  and  sent  a message  to  the  council  to  inform 
them  of  their  having  met : he  then  moved  the  following 
esolutions,  which  were  immediately  passed  : 

“ The  council  of  five  hundred  declares,  That  general 
Buonaparte  and  the  other  generals  and  officers  commanding 
> he  troops,  as  likewise  the  soldiers  employed  at  St.  Cloud, 

• raving  saved  the  majority  of  the  legislature  and  the  repub- 
; ic,  attacked  by  a factious  minority,  composed  of  assassins, 
lave  deserved  well  of  their  country. 

“ The  council  declares,  That  the  two  brave  grenadiers, 
Thomas  Thome  and  I.  B.  Poiret,  who  have  defended 
general  Buonaparte  against  the  poniards  of  the  assassins, 
ave  also  deserved  well  of  the  country.” 

Chazal  proposed  that  a committee  of  five  members  should 


276 


THE  LIFE  OF 


be  appointed  to  consider  the  propriety  of  forming  a new 
government  : alter  this  was  adopted,  Lucien  Buonaparte 
quitted  the  president’s  chair,  mounted  the  tribune,  and 
pronounced  an  animated  harangue  on  the  disasters  of  the 
republic,  arising  from  the  misconduct  of  the  late  govern- 
ment, and  the  necessity  of  appointing  a new  one.  His 
speech  was  received  with  the  loudest  applause  and  re- 
peated cries  of  “ Long  live  the  republic  !”  Boulay  de  la 
Meurthe  soon  after  returned  with  th*e  report  of  the  secret 
committee,  containing  the  project  of  a decree  for  appoint- 
ing a new  government  ; he  prefaced  his  motion  by  a long 
speech,  in  which  he  enlarged  on  the  profligacy  and  inca- 
pacity of  the  directory,  as  well  as  on  the  defects  of  the 
constitution  itself,  and  the  necessity  of  a strong  execurive 
pow  er,  to  give  solidity  to  the  state,  and  prevent  the  return 
of  anarchy. 

The  legislative  body  creates,  provisionally,  an  executive 
consular  committee,  composed  of  citizens  Sieyes  and 
Roger  Ducos,  ex-directors,  and  Buonaparte,  general. 
They  shall  bear  the  name  of  “Consuls  of  the  French 
Republic.” 

Buonaparte  having  succeeded  in  destroying  the  govern- 
ment of  the  directory,  and  himself  being  invested  with  the 
consular  dignity,  it  is  interesting  to  enquire  what  strength 
and  resources  then  remained  to  France  after  so  many  con- 
vulsions, and  such  violent  revolutions  of  her  system. — The 
number  of  inhabitants,  the  appropriation  of  their  industry, 
the  quantity  of  land  in  cultivation,  the  state  of  manufactures  ' 
and  trade,  are  the  material  points  upon  which  the  statesman 
will  solicitously  endeavour  to  obtain  information,  before  he 
attempts  to  better  the  condition  of  a country,  whose  body 
politic  is  enfeebled  and  deranged. 

France  was  estimated  by  the  constituent  assembly,  be- 
fore the  war,  to  contain  a population  of  26,363,074.  M. 
Necker,  in  a calculation  made  ten  years  before,  mentions 
the  number  to  have  been  24,800,000,  and  expresses  his 
firm  belief  that  the  yearly  births  at  that  time  amounted  tc 
above  a million.  It  appears  that  the  population  of  France 
remained  undiminished,  in  spite  of  all  the  causes  of  destruc- 
tion which  operated  upon  it  during  the  course  of  the  revo- 
lution ; and  that  however  severely  her  manufactures  had 
suffered,  her  agriculture  had  increased  rather  than  lessened 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


277 


•Those  who  were  thrown  out  of  work  by  the  destruction  of 
the  manufactures,  and  who  did  not  go  to  the  armies,  betook 
themselves  to  the  labours  of  agriculture  ; at  the  same  time 
the  absence  of  a large  portion  of  the  best  and  most  vigorous 
hands  raised  the  price  of  labour  ; and  as  from  the  new  land 
brought  into  cultivation,  and  the  absence  of  a considerable 
part  of  the  greatest  consumers  in  foreign  countries,  the  price 
of  provisions  did  not  rise  in  proportion,  this  advance  in  the' 
price  of  labour  not  only  operated  as  a powerful  encourage- 
ment to  marriage,  but  enabled  the  peasants  to  live  better, 
and  to  rear  a greater  number  of  their  children. 

The  number  of  small  farmers  and  proprietors  in  France 
was  always  great,  and  the  sale  and  division  of  many  of  the 
large  domains  of  the  nobles  and  clergy  considerably  in- 
creased the  number  of  landed  proprietors  during  the  revolu- 
tion ; whilst,  as  a part  of  these  domains  consisted  of  parks 
and  chaces,  new  territory  was  given  to  the  plough.  Al- 
though the  land-tax  was  heavy,  and  injudiciously  imposed, 
that  disadvantage  was  nearly  counterbalanced  by  the  remo- 
val of  the  former  oppressions  under  which  the  cultivator  la- 
boured ; and  the  sale  and  division  of  the  great  domains  wgs 
as  a clear  advantange  on  the  side  of  agriculture. 

Thus  the  means  of  subsistence  at  least  remained  unim- 
paired, if  they  did  not  increase  ; whilst  the  births  increas- 
ed, and  the  deaths  of  those  remaining  in  the  country  di- 
minished ; and  it  appears,  that,  including  those  who  fell  in 
the  armies,  and  by  violent  means,  the  deaths  did  not  ex- 
ceed the  births  in  the  course  of  the  revolution. 

The  estimate  of  the  population,  at  the  period  of  the  con- 
stituent assembly,  has  already  been  mentioned,  and  at  this 
time  the  number  of  persons  to  a square  league  was  reckoned 
996.  In  the  year  six  of  the  republic,  the  result  of  the 
bureau  de  cadastre  gave  a population  of  26,048,254,  and 
the  number  to  a square  league  1,020.  In  the  year  seven, 
Depere  calculated  the  whole  population  of  France  at 
33,501,094,  of  which  28,810,694  belonged  to  ancient 
France;  the  number  to  a square  league  being  1,101. 

Here,  however,  it  should  be  remarked,  that  though  the 
numerical  population  of  France  might  not  have  suffered  by 
the  revolution  ; yet,  that  if  her  losses  were  in  any  degree 
equal  to  some  conjectures  on  the  subject,  her  military 
strength  could  not  have  been  unimpaired.  Her  population 


278 


THE  LIFE  OF 


consisted  of  a much  greater  proportion  than  usual  of  women 
and  children ; and  the  body  of  unmarried  persons,  ofa  mhi- 
tary  age,  diminished  in  a very  striking  manner.  At  all 
times  the  number  of  males,  of  a military  age  in  France,  was 
small  in  proportion  to  the  population,  on  account  of  the 
tendency  to  marriage,  and  the  great  number  of  children. 

The  official  reports  from  the  departments,  afford  useful 
information  respecting  the  agriculture  of  France,  about  the 
time  of  the  revolution  of  the  eighteenth  Brumaire.  Out  of 
seventy-eight  reports,  six  are  of  opinion  that  it  is  improved ; 
ten,  that  it  is  deteriorated ; seventy  demand  that  it  should 
be  encouraged  in  general ; thirty- two  complain  of  “the  mul- 
tiplicity of  enclosures;”  and  twelve  demand  “the  encour- 
agement of  enclosures.”  One  of  the  reports  mentions,  “ the 
prodigious  quantity  of  waste  lands  put  in  cultivation  within 
a short  time,  and  of  labour  being  increased  excessively  be- 
yond the  number  of  labourers ; and  others  speak  of  a greater 
quantity  of  land  having  been  for  several  years  laid  down  for 
cultivation,”  which  appeared  to  be  successful  at  first,  but 
it  was  soon  perceived  that  it  would  be  more  profitable  to 
cultivate  less,  and  cultivate  well.  Many  of  the  reports  no- 
tice the  cheapness  of  corn,  and  the  want  of  sufficient  vent 
for  this  commodity  ; and  in  the  discussion  of  the  question 
respecting  the  division  of  the  national  domains,  it  is  observed, 
that  “ having  created  a greater  number  of  small  farmers,  and 
greatly  encouraged  enclosures,  commodities  were  in  a cer- 
tain degree  augmented ; but  it  was  to  be  observed,  that 
the  uncultivated  pastures  no  longer  existing,  had  tend- 
ed to  diminish  the  number  of  cattle.”  On  the  whole, 
therefore,  it  should  seem  that  though  the  agriculture  of  the 
country  does  not  appear  to  have  been  conducted  judicious- 
!y,  so  as  to  obtain  a large  surplus  produce,  yet  that  the  ab- 
solute produce  had  by  no  means  been  diminished  during 
the  revolution,  and  that  the  attempt  to  bring  so  much  new 
land  under  cultivation  had  contributed  to  make  the  scarcity 
of  labourers  still  more  sensible  ; and  if  the  food  of  the  coun- 
try did  not  decrease  during  the  revolution,  the  high  price  of 
labour  must  have  operated  as  a most  powerful  encourage- 
ment to  population  among  the  labouring  part  of  the  society. 

Of  the  state  of  the  hospitals  and  charitable  establishments, 
of  the  prevalence  of  beggary,  and  the  mortality  among  the 
exposed  children,  a most  deplorable  picture  is  drawn  in  ah 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


279 


most  all  the  reports.  It  appears,  however,  that  the  hospi- 
tals and  charitable  establishments  lost  almost  the  whole  of 
their  revenues  during  the  revolution  ; and  this  sudden  sub- 
traction of  .support  from  a great  number  of  people,  who 
had  no  other  reliance,  together  with  the  known  failure  of 
manufactures  in  the  towns,  and  the  very  great  increase  of 
illegitimate  children,  might  produce  all  the  distressing  ap- 
pearances described  in  the  reports,  without  impeaching  the 
great  fact  of  the  meliorated  condition  of  agricultural  labour- 
ers in  general,  necessarily  arising  from  the  acknowledged 
high  price  of  labour,  and  the  comparative  cheapness  of  corn. 
If  the  poor’s  rates  of  England  were  suddenly  abolished 
there  would,  undoubtedly,  be  the  most  complicated  distress 
among  those  who  were  before  supported  by  them  ; but  it 
would  not,  therefore,  follow,  that  either  the  condition  of  the 
labouring  part  of  the  society  in  general,  or  the  population  of 
the  country  would  suffer  from  it. 

It  should  seem  from  these  facts  and  conclusions,  (which 
are  partly  the  labour  of  a gentleman  who  has  recently  writ- 
ten a very  elaborate  work  upon  population,)  that,  at  the 
time  Buonaparte  became  consul  of  the  French  republic,  its 
population  was  thirty-three  millions  and  a half ; that  land 
was  more  equally  divided  than  before  the  revolution  ; that 
although  the  breed  of  cattle  might  have  been  somewhat  re- 
duced, more  land  was  therefore  brought  into  cultivation  ; 
and  that  there  was  absolutely  more  land  laid  down  for  tillage 
than  could  be  cultivated  ; that  more  com  was  produced 
than  could  be  consumed  ; and  that,  although  the  price  of 
provisions  was  extremely  low,  the  price  of  labour  was  very 
high. 

The  revolution,  then,  had  wrought  a very  considerable 
improvement  in  the  state  of  the  people,  though  at  the  ex- 
pense of  millions  of  treasure  and  of  lives,  and  a series  of 
confusion  which  had  lasted  during  ten  years.  A train  of 
accidents  had  effected  what  no  government  in  the  annals  of 
the  world  had  ever  accomplished  by  the  power  of  reason  ; 
the  price  of  labour  was  high,  and  yet  the  price  of  grain  was 
low  ; in  other  words,  provisions  were  easily  procurable  by 
the  mass  of  the  people.  If  existing  governments  were  hap- 
pily endowed  with  both  wisdom  and  honesty,  they  might, 
improve  this  circumstance  for  the  benefit  of  their  respective 
countries  ; for  the  causes  are  clear  and  apparent,  and  re- 


280 


THE  LIFE  OF 


quire  no  elucidation  by  metaphysical  research.  The  emi- 
grations and  confiscations  that  had  taken  place,  had  swelled 
the  national  domains  prodigiously,  and  the  lands  had  been 
sold  at  very  small  prices,  which  had  enabled  persons,  whose 
capitals  were  discharged  by  the  disorders  of  the  revolution, 
to  direct  their  attention  to  agricultural  improvements.  The 
decay  of  trade,  and  the  insecurity  of  the  funds,  induced  peo- 
ple to  cultivate  the  soil,  whilst  the  demand  of  the  armies  for 
men,  kept  the  labourers  from  encreasing  too  rapidly. 

It  is  worth  observing,  that  the  French  government  never 
found  it  necessary  to  attempt  the  practice  of  exporting  pro- 
visions ; necessity  made  agriculture  the  mean  of  employ- 
ing capital,  and  the  consequence  was,  that  grain  and  every 
other  article,  was  proportionally  cheap.  Had  the  French 
government  raised  the  price  of  corn,  by  permitting  it  to  be  ex- 
ported, the  effect  would  have  been  the  same  as  if  the  capitals 
had  been  drawn  off  by  the  allurements  of  trade,  or  by  high 
prices  of  the  public  funds.  Nobody  was  willing  to  trust 
the  government,  and  the  want  of  public  credit  conferred  a 
double  benefit  on  the  nation  : first,  it  escaped  the  burden 
of  interest  on  a debt ; and,  secondly,  it  had  the  whole  cap- 
ital of  the  country  employed  in  the  production  of  internal 
plenty.  . j 

In  prosecuting  the  narrative  of  the  war,  from  the  period 
when  our  hero  became  the  directing  soul  of  the  republic, 
it  will  be  proper  to  shew  what  were  the  views  of  the  allies, 
as  they  may  be  gathered  from  the  declaration  of  the  empe- 
ror of  Russia,  which  arrived  in  France  before  the  overthrow 
of  the  directory. 

Copy  of  a declaration , made  by  his  majesty  the  Emperor  of 
all  the  d ussias , to  the  Members  of  the  German  Empire. 

“ His  imperial  majesty  the  emperor  of  all  the  Russias, 
ever  animated  with  zeai  for  the  cause  of  sovereigns,  nd 
wishing  to  put  a stop  to  the  ravages  and  disorders  which 
have  been  spread,  by  the  impious  government  under  which 
France  groans,  to  the  remotest  countries — being  iuily  de- 
termined to  dispatch  his  sea  and  land  forces  for  the  support 
of  the  suffi rers,  and  to  restore  roya  ty  in  France,  without, 
however,  admitting  any  partition  of  that  country  ; to  re  es- 
tablish the  ancient  forms  of  government  in  the  United  Ne  th- 
erlands and  in  the  Swiss  Cantons  ; to  maintain  the  integri- 
ty of  the  German  empire — and  to  look  for  his  reward  in 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


281 


the  happiness  and  tranquillity  of  Europe  ; providence  has 
blessed  his  arms,  and  hitherto  the  Russian  troops  have  tri- 
umphed over  the  enemies  of  thrones,  religion,  and  social 
order. 

“ His  majesty,  the  emperor  of  all  the  Russias,  having 
thus  declared  his  views,  and  the  motives  by  which  he  is 
guided,  addresses  this  declaration  to  all  the  members  of  the 
German  empire,  inviting  them  to  join  their  forces  with  his, 
to  destroy  their  common  enemy  as  speedily  as  possible,  to 
found  on  his  ruins  permanent  tranquillity  for  themselves  and 
their  posterity. 

“ Should  his  imperial  majesty  of  all  the  Russias  perceive 
that  they  support  his  views,  and  rally  around  him,  he  will, 
instead  of  relaxing  his  zeal,  redouble  his  exertions,  and  not 
i sheath  his  sword,  before  he  has  seen  the  downfall  of  the 
monster  which  threatens  to  crush  all  legal  authorities.  But, 
should  he  be  left  to  himself,  he  will  be  forced  to  recall  his 
forces  to  his  states,  and  give  up  a cause  so  badly  supported 
by  those  who  ought  to  have  the  greatest  share  in  its  triumph.” 
“Gatchina,  Sept.  15,  (O.  S.)  1799.” 
Genoa  was  the  prize  fir  which  both  parties  were  evi- 
dently contending.  The  Austrians  were  collecting  all  their 
forces  to  surround  it  by  land,  whilst  the  British  were  pre- 
paring to  co-operate  as  effectually  by  sea  ; and  the  French 
Were  equally  active  in  endeavouring  to  maintain  the  shock 
!by  powerful  reinforcements. 

General  Melas  received  intelligence  that  the  French  were 
llollecting  a large  force  on  the  banks  of  the  Stura,  and  dis- 
patched general  Gutiesheim  with  seven  battalions,  to  plant 
timself  in  the  most  advantageous  position,  between  Fossa- 
to  and  Savigliano,  so  as  to  observe  accurately  all  the  mo- 
ions  of  the  enemy.  These  posts  were  attacked,  but  the 
' Austrian  general  maintained  his  stand. 

Championnet,  took  up  his  head-quarters  at  Finale,  41 
niles  south-east  of  Coni ; the  Austrian  general,  Melas, 
ixed  his  at  La  Trinite,  39  miles  north-west  by  west  of  Fi- 
ale.  Different  detachments  of  the  hostile  armies  carried 
n a desultory  war  of  posts,  which  had  for  their  object  the 
rotection  of  Coni  from  being  invested.  Kienau,  who  was 
ommanded  to  advance  towards  Genoa,  was  repulsed  by 
|ie  French  general,  Miollis.  In  the  mean  time,  the  French 
parched  upon  Novi,  as  the  post  of  Bochetta  afforded  se- 

36 


282 


THE  LIFE  OF 


curity  to  the  northern  parts  of  the  Gonoese  territory*  Nov l 
was  taken  by  them,  and  at  the  same  time  they  made  an  at 
tack  upon  general  Karaczy,  at  Rivalta,  and  threatened  to 
make  an  incursion  into  the  country  of  the  Milanese,  by  the 
wTay  of  Placentia.  Championnet  assembled  all  his  forces  at 
Coni,  to  which  place  he  went  in  person,  after  he  had  en- 
trusted the  head  and  right  of  his  line  to  St.  Cyr,  as  well  as 
Genoa  and  the  places  in  its  vicinity.  Including  the  de- 
tachments he  called  in,  and  the  army  of  the  Alps,  he  found 
himself  at  the  head  of  no  more  than  25,000  men.  Differ- 
ent skirmishes  took  place  between  the  advanced  guards  of 
the  hostile  armies  with  various  success,  when  Champoin- 
net  determined  to  attempt  the  relief  of  Coni,  by  giving  bat- 
tle to  the  enemy  ; and  conceived  the  design  of  surrounding 
the  right  wing  of  the  Austrian  army  on  the  side  of  Fossano 
and  Savigliano,  to  destroy  their  communications  with  Bra 
and  Turin,  and  compel  Melas  to  engage  the  republicans  in 
a situation  much  to  his  disadvantage.  The  Austrian  gen- 
eral, with  a view  of  strengthening  himself,  resolved  to  em- 
body an  army  of  Piedmontese.  These  troops  were  to  be 
placed  upon  the  ancient  footing,  and  to  take  the  oath  of  fidel- 
ity to  the  king  of  Sardinia  only,  without  being  subject  to 
the  Austrian  discipline. 

To  conceal  his  designs,  Championnet  performed  a variety 
of  manoeuvres  with  his  right  wing,  and  gave  orders  to  Vic- ! 
tor  to  assault  the  posts  of  La  Chiusa  and  Villa  Nova,  which 
the  Austrians  abandoned  in  succession.  The  French  pen- 
etrated as  far  as  Mendovi,  which  declined  surrendering, 
while  that  city  was  blockaded,  and  other  posts  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  republicans.  The  intentions  of  Championnet 
having,  at  length,  been  discovered  by  Melas,  he  ordered 
the  greater  part  of  his  forces  to  support  his  right  wing,  and 
he  himself  had  projected  the  plan  of  surrounding  the  left 
wing  of  the  French  army.  The  hostile  armies  were  now 
in  sight  of  each  other  between  the  Grana  river  and  Stura, 
By  the  manoeuvres  of  Melas,  with  his  right  wing,  the  French 
were  forced  to  extend  their  left,  receding  farther  from  Coni, 
which  enfeebled  their  line  and  compelled  them  to  fight 
against  superior  forces. 

Championnet  wishing  to  join  the  troops  of  Duhesmc 
commanded  Victor  to  proceed  towards  Fossano  and  Gre 
nier  to  Savigliano ; one  column  was  ordered  against  Ms 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


283 


nenne,  another  against  Genola,  and  a third  against  Fossa- 
no.  The  divisions  of  the  contending  aimies  formed  on  the 
morning  of  the  same  day,  and  began  their  march  at  the 
same  period.  The  action  was  begun  bv  general  Ott,  who 
took  the  route  to  Savigliano,  against  Grenier,  when  these 
divisions  fought  with  determined  bravery,  using  every  effort 
to  turn  each  other.  The  republican  infantry  had  to  sustain 
the  shocks  of  the  enemy’s  cavalry,  when  they  were,  at  last, 
forced  to  fall  back,  accomplishing  their  retreat  in  good  or- 
der towards  Savigliano,  which  place  they  were  obliged  to 
abandon  by  the  united  efforts  of  Ott  and  Mitrowsky.  By 
the  loss  of  Savigliano,  Championnet  was  compelled  to  fall 
back  on  Valdizzio,  being  the  centre  position  of  his  army; 
this  position  was  no  longer  tenable  by  the  French  general, 
i without  running  the  hazard  of  being  surrounded,  on  which 
account  he  drew  back  his  left  wing  to  Contala,  or  Centale, 
four  miles  north  of  Coni.  No  farther  obstacles  coming  in 
the  way  of  Melas,  he  collected  his  troops  before  Contala, 
jjwhen  the  approach  of  night  put  a period  to  the  conflict,  in 
; which  both  had  suffered  a material  loss. 

Contala  was  abandoned  by  the  French  general  during  the 
[night,  a part  of  his  left  wing  falling  back  towards  the  valley 
of  the  Stura  (extending  in  a south-west  direction  from  Co- 
ni) and  the  troops  under  Grenier  having  passed  the  city  of 
Coni,  continued  their  retreat  southwards  to  the  left  of  the 
torrent  of  the  Gesso,  running  on  the  south-west  of  the  valley 
of  the  Stura.  The  post  of  Morazzo  was  assaulted  by  Me- 
las on  the  ensuing  day,  when  a number  of  republicans  were 
obliged  to  lay  down  their  arms  to  the  victors,  their  retreat 
being  effectually  cut  off.  The  loss  of  the  battle  of  Genola 
compelled  Championnet  to  abandon  Coni  to  its  own  resour- 
ces, after  having  lost  in  different  actions  about  8,000  men. 
The  army,  in  three  columns,  retreated,  the  one  by  Coni, 
the  other  favouring  the  retreat  by  the  Col  de  Tende,  and  a 
third  under  Meudovi,  its  retreat  being  secured  by  the  val- 
ley of  the  Tanaro.  Melas  having  received  information  that 
Championnet’s  forces  were  scattered,  determined  on  the 
pursuit  of  them  into  the  high  vallies,  to  force  them  to 
tbandon  Coni,  and  to  invest  the  place  to  the  westward. 
The  republicans  were  unfortunate  in  all  directions,  the  for- 
ces under  Duhesme  retreating  across  the  frontiers  of  France 
o Briancon  by  the  way  of  Suse,  and  the  division  of  Gre- 


284 


THE  LTI'E  OF 


nier  falling  back  on  the  south  to  the  top  of  the  Appenines, 
near  the  Col  de  Tende. 

To  facilitate  the  siege  of  Coni,  it  was  necessary  to  force 
the  French  to  desert  all  the  posts  they  occupied  in  its  vicin- 
ity. The  successes  of  Melas  enabled  him  to  summon  Coni 
to  surrender,  but  the  commandant  refusing  to  comply,  he 
began  to  bombard  it,  taking  care  to  prevent  it  from  re- 
ceiving assistance  from  any  quarter  whatever.  Kray,  on 
the  other  side,  was  entrusted  with  operations  equally  in- 
teresting. He  gained  possession  of  Acqui,  compelling  the 
French  to  retreat  towards  the  Serivia,  who  posted  them- 
selves on  the  reverse  of  the  mountains  of  Novi,  which  they 
fortified,  but  from  this  position  they  were  driven  by  general 
Kray,  and  nothing  more  of  the  republican  conquests  re- 
mained to  them  in  Italy  except  the  Ligurian  republic  ; and 
the  republican  army  was  enfeebled  by  desertion,  on  account 
of  the  want  of  provisions. 

The  Austrian  general  now  pushed  on  the  siege  of  Coni 
with  great  vigour.  On  the  11th  of  November  the  division 
of  general  Ott  attacked  that  part  of  the  French  which  re- 
mained at  Borgo  Saint  Dalmazzo,  and  drove  them  as  far  as 
Robillante;  on  the  same  day  major-general  Somasiva  pur-  i 
sued  them  in  the  valley  of  the  Stura  as  far  as  Demonte,  of 
which  he  took  possession,  and  made  100  prisoners:  major-  ! 
general  Gottersheim  also  obliged  the  French  to  evacuate  the 
villages  of  La  Chiusa,  Boves,  and  Poveragna.  General' 
Championnet  had  assembled  his  whole  force  at  Mendovi 
and  upon  the  mountains  behind  the  river  Ellero,  as  far  as 
Monasterlo : as  long  as  he  occupied  this  position  it  was  im- 
possible to  proceed  with  the  siege  of  Coni ; general  Melas, 
therefore,  gave  orders  that  a general  attack  should  be  made 
on  the  13th  : for  this  reason  the  division  of  general  Metrow- 
ski,  which  hacl  marched  as  far  as  Cherasco,  for  the  purpose 
of  reinforcing  general  Kray,  was  ordered  to  return  to  the 
camp  of  the  Trinita  on  the  12th,  and  to  form  the  left  of  the 
attack  on  the  town  of  Mendovi.  The  remainder  of  the  ar- 
my marched  in  two  columns,  the  one  by  La  Chiusa,  upon 
Monasterlo,  the  other  by  Villa  Nova,  upon  the  centre  of 
the  enemy’s  line.  From  the  difficulties  of  the  roads  the  at- 
tacks were  not  made  till  very  late,  and  the  enemy,  without 
making  much  resistance,  abandoned  all  his  positions.  The 
people  of  Mendovi  opened  the  gates  of  the  lower  town  tr 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


285 


the  Austrians.  The  French  army  retired  by  Vico,  and 
evacuated  the  citadel  of  Mondovi  in  the  night. 

Suwarrow  collected  his  army  in  the  vicinity  of  Lindau, 
on  the  lake  of  Constance,  and  rallied  the  divisions  under 
Korsakow,  when  he  found  himself  at  the  head  of  an  army- 
far  from  being  contemptible,  notwithstanding  he  had  lost 
more  than  the  half  of  his  original  number.  This  army  kept 
possession  of  Bregantz,  which  was  a post  of  considerable 
importance,  but  without  gaining  any  advantage  over  the 
French,  whilst  the  army  of  the  Rhine  was  advancing  to  the 
attack  of  Philiipsburg,  in  defiance  of  the  archduke  Charles. 
The  inactivity  of  the  combined  armies  had  caused  much 
surprise,  when  Suwarrow,  having  sent  back  his  cavalry  on 
his  rear,  began  to  retreat,  fixing  his  head-quarters  at  Mem- 
mingen.  The  corps  of  Conde  at  the  same  time  filed  oft' 
upon  Augsburg,  to  take  up  their  winter-quarters  either  in 
that  town  or  its  vicinity.  This  defection  of  the  Russian 
commander  rendered  the  situation  of  the  archduke  perilous 
in  the  extreme,  yet  he  found  means,  with  60,000  men,  to 
keep  up  a line  of  defence  for  the  space  of  80  leagues,  from 
the  celebrated  post  of  Nauders,  at  the  entrance  of  the  En- 
gadin,  down  to  Philiipsburg,  and  that  too  in  the  presence 
of  forces  superior  to  his  own. 

The  French  having  secured  their  positions  to  the  left  of 
the  lake  of  Constance  followed  their  advantages  on  the  side 
of  the  Grisons,  by  the  valley  of  Dissentis,  on  the  F order 
Rhine.  Soult,  Loison,  and  Mortier,  dislodged  the  enemy’s 
rear-guard,  compelling  them  to  retreat  on  the  other  side  of 
the  Rhine  by  the  way  of  Feldsberg  and  the  bridge  of  Rich- 
enau,  which  was  afterwards  destroyed  : the  republicans  pen- 
etrated no  farther.  Massena  employed  no  efforts  to  com- 
pel the  Austrians  to  abandon  the  whole  of  the  Grisons, 
i since  he  could  at  that  period  have  proposed  to  himself  no 
object  sufficient  to  justify  such  an  effusion  of  human  blood. 
The  different  corps  of  his  army  were  collected  by  him  and 
concentrated  on  Basil  and  Zurich  ; the  intrenchments  at  the 
latter  place  Ire  raised  and  enlarged,  while  all  the  passes  on 
i the  side  of  St.  Gothard  were  blocked  up  by  snow. 

Prince  Charles  found  it  very  difficult  to  hold  the  army 
of  the  Rhine  in  check,  after  the  desertion  of  Suwarrow  ; 
for  the  contending  armies  were  so  equally  balanced,  that 
Philiipsburg  was  twice  blockaded  by  the  French.  It  would 


286 


THE  LIFE  OF 


be  vain  to  assign  a cause  for  the  departure  of  the  Russians 
at  so  critical  a moment  ; scarcely  any  conduct,  of  whatev- 
er kind,  that  Austria  could  have  been  guilty  of,  would 
have  justified  such  a dereliction  from  everjr  principle  of 
honour,  as  to  desert  an  ally  at  a moment  when  his  own  pow- 
er was  unable  to  protect  him.  It  is  certain  that  the  Russian 
generals  complained  of  their  services  not  being  sufficiently 
acknowledged  by  the  Austrians  ; and  the  capricious  dispo- 
sition of  the  emperor  Paul  required  no  stronger  ground  of 
jealousy  to  lead  him  to  any  rash  determination.  The  arch- 
duke Charles  received  notice,  about  the  middle  of  Novem- 
ber, that  the  Russian  generals  had  received  orders  to  return  : 
but,  as  the  season  opposed  many  obstacles  to  their  retreat, 
hopes  were  entertained,  that  the  joint  entreaties  of  the  Brit- 
ish and  Austrian  cabinets  might  induce  the  emperor  to 
change  his  resolution. 

It  was  now  discovered,  that  the  autocrat  of  all  the  Russias 
was  nothing  more  than  an  elevated  savage,  whose  unbend- 
ing mind  resisted  all  the  powers  of  reasoning.  Exhortation 
was  in  vain  : he  conceived  himself  to  have  been  neglected, 
and  he  pursued  only  his  resentment,  without  regarding  the 
consequences.  A more  unfortunate  circumstance  had  not 
occurred  for  the  allies  since  the  defection  of  the  king  of 
Prussia:  it  was  an  evil  without  a mixture  of  good;  and 
was  the  more  unprincipled,  as  the  other  powers  in  the  con-  : 
federacy  had  supplied  contingents  towards  very  extensive 
arrangements  for  the  ensuing  campaign,  upon  the  presumed  j 
co-operation  of  the  Russian  forces.  Fortune,  however,  fa-  j 
voured  the  allies  at  this  juncture,  by  the  necessity  under 
which  the  French  government  was  laid  of  sending  troops 
into  their  own  departments,  to  quell  the  insurrections  of  the 
Chouans  and  various  bodies  of  the  royalists,  who  were  still 
struggling  to  re-establish  the  Bourbons. 


CHAPTER  XVIII. 

Finance  had  Buonaparte’s  early  and  earnest  attention. 
Fie  caused  to  be  passed  in  the  council  of  five  hundred, 
some  resolutions,  by  which  the  receivers  general  of  the 
departments  were  authorized  to  subscribe  bonds  for  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


287 


amount  of  the  direct  taxes  of  their  respective  departments, 
which  should  be  payable  by  twelve  monthly  instalments  : 
they  were  directed  to  furnish  a twentieth  part  in  specie  of 
the  amount  of  the  land-tax,  to  be  applied  as  a sinking  fund 
for  the  extinction  of  the  public  debt.  The  arrears  of  life 
annuities  and  ecclesiastical  pensions,  as  they  became  extin- 
guished, were  to  be  applied  to  the  same  purpose,  and  to  the 
payment  of  protested  bonds. 

When  the  public  saw  the  national  debts  put  in  a course 
of  extinction  by  adequate  funds,  the  government  found  it 
no  very  difficult  task  to  borrow  more  money.  Buonaparte 
appointed  a meeting  of  the  principal  merchants  and  bankers 
of  Paris,  and  laid  before  them  the  necessities  of  the  govern- 
ment, and  the  claims  which  it  had  on  the  confidence  of 
the  public,  and  hinted  the  probability  of  a glorious  and 
equitable  peace.  He  assured  them,  that  the  reign  of  plun- 
der was  ended,  that  spoliation  of  property  could  never  oc- 
cur under  the  new  system  of  affairs,  that  talent  only  would 
rule,  and  intrigue  would  be  abandoned ; but  that,  to  ac- 
complish these  various  laudable  objects,  the  public  treasury 
must  have  recourse  to  commercial  men  for  an  advance  of 
money  until  the  new  taxes  were  paid.  The  meeting,  which 
consisted  of  about  seventy  of  the  wealthiest  men  in  Paris, 
voted,  by  acclamation,  a loan  of  twelve  millions  of  livres;  and 
Fulchiron,  Recamier,  Doyen,  Perregaux,  Mullet,  Germain, 
and  Desser,  were  nominated  a commission  of  seven,  to  put 
the  plan  into  immediate  consideration. 

Talleyrand  shortly  resumed  his  situation  at  the  head  of 
the  foreign  affairs.  Citizen  Gronville  was  sent  ambassador 
to  Holland,  citizen  Bourgoing  to  Denmark.  General  Bour- 
nonville  was  appointed  minister  plenipotentiary  to  the  court 
of  Berlin,  and  citizen  Colchen,  his  secretary  of  legation ; 
other  arrangements  were  also  made  in  the  foreign  depart- 
ments, preparatory  to  a new  system  of  diplomacy. 

The  constitution  was  published  at  Paris  on  the  14th  of 
December,  with  great  pomp  ; and  a decree  immediately 
followed,  which  ordained,  that  the  different  civil  officers 
should  open  registers  of  acceptance  and  non-acceptance,  to 
remain  open  fifteen  days,  for  the  signatures  of  the  citizens. 

Roederer’s  analysis  of  the  consular  constitution  of  France 
is  deserving  of  preservation,  because  it  is  simple,  and  is 
easily  committed  to  the  memory.  He  estimates  the  male  in- 


288 


THE  LIFE  OF 


habitants  of  age,  and  paying  duties  as  a qualification  to 
vote,  at  5,000,000  citizen  voters,  who  reduce  themselves 
to  500,000  notables  of  communes  ; who  reduce  themselves 
to  50.000  notables  of  departments  ; who  reduce  themselves 
to  5,000  notables  of  France  ; from  whom  are  chosen  500 
legislators,  senate  and  tribunate  ; and  also  80  conservators; 
2 puisne  consuls ; and  1 grand  consul ; who  choose  30 
counsellors  of  state,  and  the  ministers,  ambassadors,  com- 
missioners, &c.  The  senate  and  the  tribunate  are  not 
chosen  by  the  five  thousand  notables  of  France,  but  out  of 
that  class.  A body  of  eighty  members,  first  constituted 
representatives  of  the  nation,  either  by  a competent  election 
or  by  the  acquiescence  of  the  people,  under  the  title  of 
conservators,  choose,  first,  all  the  members  called  to  exer- 
cise the  legislative  power;  and,  secondly,  the  three  chiefs 
of  the  executive  power,  (consuls,)  the  first  of  whom  af- 
terwards chooses  the  ministers  and  other  agents  of  the  gov- 
ernment. 

A great  portion  of  time  was  occupied  by  the  legislative 
bodies  in  settling  the  formalities  which  should  present  the 
authorities  under  the  new  constitution  in  great  parade  and 
splendour  to  the  people.  It  was  appointed  that  the  consuls 
and  the  conservative  senate  should  enter  upon  their  functions 
the  4th  Nivose,  8th  year  (25th  December,  1799.)  The 
consuls  were  to  furnish  the  conservative  senate,  the  legisla- 
tive body,  and  the  tribunate,  with  a guard  of  honour.  The 
Luxembourg  was  appointed  the  palace  of  the  conservative 
senate  ; the  Thuilleries  the  palace  of  the  consuls;  the  palace 
of  the  council  of  five  hundred  was  for  the  legislative  body  : i 
and  the  palais  royale  was  assigned  to  the  tribunate.  Mes- 
sengers of  state  and  ushers  were  also  attached  to  these  dif- 


ferent functionaries. 

It  was  not  enough,  however,  that  palaces  should  be  the 
dwellings  of  the  new  officers  of  the  republic  : the  pomp 
and  circumstance  of  official  dignity  were  still  further  increas- 
ed by  the  new  dresses,  which  after  mature  deliberations  of 
the  commission  of  five  hundred  were  decreed  should  be 
worn  by  the  legislative  as  well  as  the  executive  ; and  even 
the  secretaries,  messengers,  and  ushers,  were  assigned  their 
costume.  Open  robes  arid  close  habits  of  national  blue,  of 
light  blue,  of  black,  of  grey — tri- coloured  girdles,  girdles 
of  light  blue,  and  girdles  of  red;  some  fringed  with  gold. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


289 


some  fringed  with  silk,  some  fringed  with  worsted,  and  some 
without  any  fringe ; — collars  and  sleeves  embroidered,  some 
with  gold  and  others  with  silver; — some  hats  with  gold  tas 
sejs  :1 — and  other  hats  with  silver  tassels  : — these  were  the 
materials  which  the  legislative  bodies  of  the  French  repub- 
lic selected,  and  which  they  sorted  out,  and  fitted  into  uni- 
forms and  dresses  by  a senatorial  decree,  afterwards  printed 
and  distributed  as  a programme , by  which  the  people  were 
enabled  to  ascertain  the  rank  and  dignity  of  the  new  rulers 
of  the  republic.  The  variation  of  climate  in  the  seasons  was 
also  considered,  for  some  were  to  wear  velvet  in  winter,  and 
(silk  in  summer,  whilst  others  were  decreed  to  wear  cloth 
all  the  year  round. 

Three  days  after  the  constitution  was  issued  the  troops 
were  assembled  in  the  Champ  de  Mars,  and  sworn  to  be 
faithful  to  the  new  government.  The  oath  to  be  tendered  to 
the  magistrates  and  citizens  became  a subject  of  discus- 
sion, which  ended  by  a law  being  passed  applicable  to  all 
those  who  had  been  previously  bound  to  take  an  oath,  and 
which  reduced  the  different  formula  of  oaths  and  declara- 
tions to  one  only.  The  constitution  being  considered  the 
elementary  rule  of  the  duties  of  magistrate  and  citizens,  the 
explicit  promise  of  being  faithful  to  the  constitution  in- 
eluded  the  object  of  the  former  laws.  It  was  then  decreed 
oy  the  new  law,  that  the  members  and  officers  of  the  go- 
vernment, the  ministers  of  every  religious  sect,  and  the 
:utors  of  youth,  should  solemnly  make  the  following  de- 
claration : “ I premise  to  be  faithful  to  the  constitution,” 
md  that  every  other  oath  or  declaration  should  be  abolish- 
ed. If  there  exists  a necessity  for  an  oath  under  any  govern- 
nent,  supposed  to  be  founded  on  the  will  of  the  people, 
hat  which  was  thus  adopted  by  the  consular  government  of 
France,  is,  perhaps,  the  most  simple  and  the  least  excep- 
ionable  of  any  that  can  be  taken  for  a model. 

Accustomed  to  change,  and  delighted  with  novelty,  the 
Parisians  received  the  new  constitution,  and  viewed  the 
plendour  of  the  new  government  with  self-complacency 
ather  than  with  surprise;  they  read  and  talked,  and  drank 
heir  coffee,  and  laughed.  They  reasoned  very  little,  but  they 
oped  a great  deal.  Buonaparte  was  their  idol,  and  they' 
xpected  him  to  do  every  thing  for  the  happiness  and  hon- 
our of  the  nation.  They  joked  upon  the  old  directory,  and 

37 


290 


THE  LIFE  OF 


indulged  their  humour  in  bon-mots  and  caricatures;  a pair 
of  these  prints,  very  well  executed,  formed  a part  of  the 
decorations  of  most  parlours  in  Paris.  One  of  them  repre- 
sented a Jew,  with  a quantity  of  finery  and  frippery,  the  cos- 
tume of  the  ex  directors,  and  ex-legislators  ; he  was  crying, 

“ Old  clothes  to  sell,  as  good  as  new;”  the  other,  also  rep- 
resented a Jew  carrying  an  enormous  load  of  constitutions 
and  laws,  and  bawling,  “ Old  constitutions  and  decrees  to 
sell,  very  little  used,  and  very  cheap.”  Perhaps  the  au- 
thor of  the  following  bill,  which  was  placarded  in  the  night 
in  the  streets  of  Paris,  was  not  quite  so  much  disposed  t«? 
serve  the  new  government. 

“Political  Subtraction. 

From  . . 5 . . Directors 
Take  . . 2, 

and  there  remain  . . 3 . . Consuls : 

From  them  take  . . 2, 

and  there  remains  . . 1 . . Buonaparte  !” 

Cambaceres  was  minister  of  justice  at  the  time  the  new 
constitution  appointed  him  second  consul.  Neither  of  the  j 
other  consuls  had  been  members  of  the  national  convention; 
Cambaceres  was  the  only  one  out  of  the  three,  who  had  1 
voted  on  the  trial  of  the  king.  He  declared  his  opinion 
that  the  king  should  be  confined,  but  not  executed,  unless 
the  republican  territory  were  invaded  by  a foreign  enemy. 
He  was  a man  of  more  suavity  of  manners  than  vigour  of 
intellect. 

Le  Brun,  the  third  consul,  possessed  considerable  talents, 
and  was  one  of  the  members  of  the  committee  of  ancients. 
He  had  formerly  been  secretary  to  the  chancellor  Maupeon, 
the  most  arbitrary  and  tyrannical  of  the  ministers  of  Louis 
XV.  He  had  the  reputation  of  uniting  application  tc 
ability. 

Before  Cambaceres  and  Le  Brun  were  appointed  consuls 
under  Buonaparte,  Sieyes  had  been  prevailed  on  to  decline 
the  consulate  ; this  was  not  difficult  to  effect ; for  he  sav 
that  he  was  completely  in  the  power  of  Buonaparte,  because 
Buonaparte  was  the  man  who  possessed  the  most  influenc 
with  the  people.  The  retirement  of  Sieyes  is  a memorabl 


ST APOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  ^yi 

-svent  in  the  history  of  France  since  the  revolution,  because 
he  had  retained  a very  great  share  of  power  over  the  exec- 
utive  government  at  most  periods  since  its  commencement, 
•and  he  now  suddenly  lost  it  altogether. 

On  the  20th  of  December  a message  was  read  to  the 
committee  of  the  council  of  five  hundred,  stating,  that  the 
consuls  joined  in  a wish,  unanimously  manifested  by  the 
two  legislative  committees,  that  it  should  decree  to  citizen 
Sieyes  a distinguished  proof  of  national  gratitude.  “ The 
citizen,”  says  the  message,  “ who,  after  having  enlighten- 
ed the  people  by  his  writings,  and  honoured  the  revolution 
by  his  disinterested  virtues,  refused,  in  the  first  instance, 
the  first  magistracy,  and  then  only  consented  to  accept,  in 
consequence  of  his  sense  of  the  dangers  by  which  it  was 
surrounded,  is  assuredly  worthy  of  the  distinction  which  it 
is  your  desire  should  be  conferred  upon  him,  and  which  it 
will  be  impossible  for  him  to  refuse,  when  the  organs  of  the 
law  shall  have  declared  the  decision  of  the  legislature.  The 
consuls  of  the  republic,”  it  continues,  “ for  the  purpose  of 
carrying  your  wish  into  effect,  and  in  conformity  to  the  law 
of  the  19th  Brumaire,  submit  to  you  the  necessary  and 
formal  proposition  of  decreeing  to  citizen  Sieyes,  as  a 
pledge  of  national  gratitude,  the  right  of  property  to  one  of 
the  domains  at  the  disposal  of  the  state.” 

Few  men  who  were  engaged  in  the  revolution  had  more 
entirely  devoted  themselves  to  politics  than  Sieyes ; and 
he  is  one  of  the  many  instances  of  individuals  who  have  aris- 
en by  talents  and  superior  genius  to  considerable  rank  as 
statesmen. 

Sieyes  was  born  at  Frejus  in  the  year  1748,  the  town 
where  Buonaparte  landed  on  his  return  from  Egypt.  Edu- 
cated for  the  priesthood  he  took  orders,  and  became  a cure. 
He  was  preferred  to  be  a vicar- general,  and  then  a canon  : 
afterwards  he  rose  to  the  chancellorship  of  the  church  of 
Chartres ; and  was,  at  length,  invested  with  the  permanent 
administrative  employment  of  counsellor  commissary  in 
Paris.  To  this  he  was  nominated  by  the  diocese  of  Char- 
tres : it  was  never  given  but  to  the  superior  clergy  of  France. 
He  was  esteemed  a learned  civilian  and  canonist,  and  pos- 
sessed a considerable  share  of  knowledge  in  the  belles- 
lettres ; his  favourite  studies,  however,  were  politics,  met- 


292 


THE  LIFE  OF 


aphysics,  and  economics.  He  spent  the  greatest  part  of  his 
time  in  Paris,  where  he  associated  with  D’Alembert,  Dide- 
rot, Condorcet,  and  the  other  literati.  He  was  a member 
of  the  economical  society,  which  held  its  sittings  in  the 
hotel  of  the  chancellor  Seguier. 

Notwithstanding  his  excellent  qualifications  and  connex- 
ions, it  is  probable  that  Sieyes  would  not  have  emerged 
from  obscuritjr  if  the  revolution  had  not  brought  him  into 
a situation  to  display  his  talents.  Being  appointed  a deputy 
to  the  states  general,  he  began  his  career  by  the  publication 
entitled,  “ What  is  the  Tiers  Etat  ?”  This  work  became, 
at  the  time,  the  most  fashionable  book  in  Paris. 

Alter  the  meeting  of  the  Tiers  Etat  at  Versailles,  he  was 
the  person  who  proposed  that  they  should  call  themselves 
“ 1 he  Assembly  ol  the  Representatives  of  the  French  peo- 
ple;” and  he  supported  his  project  with  considerable  abil- 
ity- - 

When  the  misunderstanding  between  the  orders  in  the 
states  general  assumed  a serious  aspect,  and  great  numbers 
of  troops  were  drawn  about  the  capital,  the  deputies  in  the 
popular  interest  had  reason  to  be  apprehensive  for  their 
safety.  Sieyes,  in  the  sitting  of  the  8th  of  July,  stated  to  I 
the  assembly,  that  no  troops  should  be  allowed  to  approach 
nearer  than  ten  leagues  to  the  place  in  which  the  states 
general  were  sitting ; and  he  proposed  an  address  to  the 
king,  desiring  that  he  would  order  the  troops  to  withdraw 
from  the  neighbourhood  of  Versailles. 

Sometime  previously  to  the  month  of  October,  when  the  ; 
king  was  attacked  in  his  palace  by  the  mob,  a secret  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  the  duke  of  Orleans,  Mirabeau,  La 
Clos,  and  the  abbe  Sieyes,  was  formed  in  a village  near 
Paris.  They  had  agreed  upon  a scheme  for  placing  the 
duke  of  Orleans  in  so  distinguished  a situation  in  the  gov- 
ernment, that  he  could  not  fail  to  have  the  command  of  the 
populace,  and,  consequently,  possess  a decisive  weight  in 
the  national  assembly  : Sieyes  was  then  a zealous  royalist. 

In  the  year  1791,  when  it  was  thought  that  the  king,  by  I 
attempting  his  escape,  had  abdicated  the  crown,  a combi- 
nation was  formed,  consisting  of  Condorcet  and  Brissot  in 
France,  and  of  Paine  in  England,  for  the  publication  of  a 
periodical  paper  under  the  title  of  “ The  Republican.’5 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


293 


Sieyes  actually  published  some  answers  to  papers  which  ap- 
peared in  this  publication,  and  declared  his  intentions  to 
support  a monarchy  against  a republic  by  every  means  in 
his  power. 

Sieyes  was  the  author  of  the  “ Declaration  of  the  Rights 
of  Man,”  which  was  decreed  by  the  national  assembly.  It 
was  written  in  his  u^ual  metaphysical  manner,  and  excited 
verv  different  sensations  in  every  country  of  Europe.  In 
179^5  Sieyes  was  appointed  a member  of  the  national  con- 
vention. When  the  convention  voted  the  punishment  of 
Louis,  such  was  fhe  influence  of  Sieyes,  that  a great  num- 
ber of  members  reserved  themselves  till  they  had  heard  his 
opinion.  It  was,  consequently,  understood,  upon  that  opin- 
ion would  depend  the  fate  of  the  king. — Sieyes,  at  length, 
mounted  the  tribune  : an  awful  silence  pervaded  the  anxious 
assembly  ! he,  however,  interrupted  the  solemn  pause  with 
only  five  words:  Je  suis pour  la  mort  ! “ I am  for  death!” 
and  instantly  withdrew. 

From  this  time  he  was  so  far  concealed  from  the  public 
eye  that  it  was  not  known  whether  he  was  dead  or  alive.  It 
was  said  by  the  Parisians,  that  he  directed,  from  his  philo- 
sophical retreat,  many  of  the  atrocities  which  were  commit- 
; ted  under  the  reign  of  Robespierre,  but  oi  this  there  appears 
no  proof  whatever.  From  the  death  of  this  tyrant  till 
' February  1795,  he  still  remained  behind  the  curtain,  and 
did  not  appear  upon  the  stage  until  he  was  certain  there  was 
) no  danger  of  the  mountain  regaining  their  ascendancy.  In 
order  to  make  his  apology  for  having  thus  absented  himself 
I from  business  during  two  years,  he  published  memoirs  of 
his  own  life,  the  substance  of  which  publication  was  to  la- 
ment that  the  mountain  party  had  abused  his  definitions  of 
the  rights  of  man  ; and  to  state  that  his  system  had  been  in- 
tended only  as  the  skeleton  of  civil  society. 

An  immense  concourse  of  citizens  attended  the  installa- 
tion of  the  consuls,  which  was  performed  on  the  4th  Nivose, 
wuh  great  pomp.  The  council  of  state  held  their  first  sit- 
ting, and  the  first  consul  presided,  accompanied  by  the  other 
consuls  and  the  ministers  of  the  government,  who  presented 
their  different  reports.  In  the  evening  the  following  procla- 
mation was  dispersed  in  great  quantities  throughout  all  the 
departments. 


294 


THE  LIFE  OF 


“Liberty!  Equality! 

“ IN  THE  NAME  OF  THE  FRENCH  PEOPLE. 

“The  4th  Nivose,  (25th  of  December,  1799,)  8th  year 
of  the  French  republic,  one  and  indivisible. 

“ Bonaparte , first  consul  of  the  republic , to  the  French . 

“To  render  the  republic  dear  to  the  citizens,  respectable 
to  foreigners,  and  formidable  to  the  enemy,  such  are  the 
duties  which  we  have  contracted  by  accepting  the  first 
magistracy. 

“ The  citizens  will  always  cherish  the  republic,  if  the 
laws  and  the  acts  of  authority  are  constantly  distinguished 
by  order,  by  justice,  and  by  moderation. 

“ Without  order  administration  is  but  confusion  ; no 
revenue,  no  public  credit,  the  resources  of  the  state  and 
private  fortunes  are  lost. 

“ Without  justice,  there  are  nothing  but  factions,  tyrants, 
and  victims. 

“ Moderation  stamps  an  august  character  upon  govern- 
ments and  nations.  It  is  always  strong,  and  insures  per- 
manency to  social  institutions. 

“ The  republic  will  be  respected  by  foreigners  if  she  re- 
spects their  independence  as  well  as  her  own ; if  her  en- 
gagements, prepared  by  wisdom,  and  contracted  with  sin- 
cerity, are  faithfully  fulfilled. 

“ She  will  be  formidable  to  the  enemy,  if  her  armies  and 
her  fleets  are  well  disciplined  and  well  commanded  ; if  every 
soldier  and  every  sailor  lives  always  as  happy  as  in  the  bo- 
som of  his  own  family,  with  a constant  succession  of  virtues 
•and  of  glory  ; if  every  officer,  instructed  by  a long  applica- 
tion, is  regularly  promoted,  as  a reward  for  his  talents  and 
his  services. 

“ On  such  principles  depend  the  stability  of  government, 
the  success  of  commerce  and  of  agriculture  ; the  greatness 
and  prosperity  of  nations. 

“ According  to  such  principles  we  shall  be  judged. 

“ Frenchmen  ! we  have  told  you  our  duties,  it  will  be 
for  you  to  tell  us  whether  we  have  fulfilled  them. 

(Signed)  “Bonaparte. 

“ By  the  first  consul’s  command, 

“Bernard  Hugues  Maret,  secretary  of  state.” 

But,  whilst  he  thus  addressed  “ the  French  people,” 
Buonaparte  knew  the  means  which  were  essential  to  their 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


295 


unanimity.  He  knew,  that,  amidst  factions,  the  power  that 
would  cement  the  people  was  force,  and  not  opinion  ; he 
knew  that  he  appealed  to  the  people  against  every  convic- 
tion, but  what  arms  imposed  upon  them,  and  that  upon  the 
“ French  army”  depended  the  stability  of  the  government. 
The  arming  of  the  citizens  had  long  been  abandoned ; for, 
although  some  were  permitted  to  form  themselves  into 
armed  bands,  yet  they  were  so  few,  when  compared  with 
the  numbers  which  rushed  forward,  at  the  commencement 
of  the  revolution,  against  the  common  enemy,  that,  had 
they  opposed  any  measure  of  the  government,  a few  regi- 
ments could  have  cut  them  to  pieces.  The  people  had  been 
disarmed  because  every  faction  found  itself  at  the  head  of 
an  army,  every  disgust  excited  commotion,  and  every  com- 
motion became  a civil  war. 

At  the  time  the  consular  constitution  was  adopted,  there 
were  in  the  different  departments  of  the  republic  from  thirty- 
five  to  forty  thousand  churches  wherein  divine  service  had 
been  regularly  performed.  It  is  a gross  error  to  suppose 
that  the  Christian  religion  was  at  any  time  extinguished  in 
France. 

The  last  general  assembly  of  the  clergy  of  France,  held 
in  1789,  presented  facts  which  announced  that  the  necessi- 
ty of  reforming  abuses  was  felt,  and  that  the  epoch  when  a 
reform  would  take  place  was  foreseen.  In  this  assembly 
several  bishops  spoke  with  much  force  on  the  subject. 

The  disastrous  state  of  the  finances,  occasioned  a deficit 
which  it  was  necessary  to  make  good.  The  enormous  es- 
tates of  the  clergy  excited  the  envy  of  the  people,  and  eve- 
ry eye  regarded  it  as  a mean  to  be  employed  in  the  liquida- 
tion of  the  national  debt. 

The  civil  constitution  of  the  clergy  was  a severe  check 
given  to  many  abuses.  It  seemed  to  restore  to  the  Gallican 
church  the  discipline  of  the  first  ages.  It  snatched  from 
the  pope  the  power  of  giving  the  canonical  institution  to 
bishops  ; and  those  who  taxed  with  novelty  this  constitu- 
tion, were  referred  to  history  for  proofs,  that,  during  twelve 
hundred  years,  bishops  received  the  canonical  institution 
from  the  metropolitans  and  not  from  the  pope ; that  to  tax 
with  intrusion  the  constitutional  bishops,  and  to  condemn 
them  because  they  had  received  that  institution  from  the 


296 


THE  LIFE  OF 


metropolitans,  was  to  condemn  the  first  twelve  centuries  01 
Christianity. 

“ Enemies  without  and  within,”  said  the  constitutional 
clergy,  “ wish  to  create  a disgust  to  liberty,  by  substituting 
for  it  licentiousness.”  And,  indeed,  the  partisans  of  the 
dissentient  clergy  were  seen  to  coalesce  with  the  atheists  and 
unbelievers,  in  order  to  produce  the  religious  disorders 
which  broke  out  every  where  in  the  year  1793. 

The  clergy,  who  had  taken  the  oath,  had  organized  the 
dioceses  ; the  bishops,  in  general,  had  bestowed  great  pains 
in  setting  preachers  in  every  parish.  They  preached  them- 
selves, and  this  was,  indeed,  a contrast  to  the  indolence  of 
their  predecessors,  who  engaged  in  spending,  frequently  in 
a shameful  manner,  immense  revenues,  seldom  or  never 
visited  their  dioceses.  The  constitutional  clergy,  following 
a plan  more  conformable  to  the  gospel,  gained  the  affection 
of  the  well-disposed  part  of  the  nation. 

These  priests  were  of  opinion,  that  the  storm  which 
threatened  religion,  required  imperiously  the  immediate 
presence  of  the  pastor,  and  that  in  the  day  of  battle  it  was 
necessary  to  be  in  person  at  the  breach.  They  were  of 
opinion,  that  the  omission  or  impossibility  of  fulfilling  mi- 
nute and  empty  formalities,  imposed  by  a Concordat,  re- 
jected from  the  beginning  by  all  the  public  bodies  and  the 
church  of  France,  and  annihilated,  at  the  moment,  by  the 
will  of  the  representatives  of  the  nation,  sanctioned  by  royal 
authority,  could  not  exempt  them  from  accepting  holy 
functions  presented  by  all  the  constituted  authorities,  and 
on  which,  evidently,  depended  the  preservation  of  religion, 
the  salvation  of  the  faithful,  and  the  peace  of  the  state. 

But,  when  persecution  manifested  itself,  the  clergy  who 
had  taken  the  oath  became  equally  the  victims  of  persecuting 
rage.  Some  failed  in  this  conjuncture ; but  the  greater 
number  remained  intrepid  in  their  principles.  According- 
ly, several  constitutional  bishops  and  priests  were  dragged 
to  the  scaffold.  If,  on  the  one  hand,  the  dastardly  Gobel 
was  guillotined,  the  same  fate  attended  the  respectable  Ex- 
pilly,  bishop  of  Quimper;  Amourette,  bishop  of  Lyonc  • 


Amidst  the  terrors  of  atheistical  persecution,  Gregc 
bishop  ofBlois,  declared  that  he  braved  them,  and  remain- 
ed attached  to  his  principles  and  duties  as  a Christian  and  a 


and  Gouttes,  bishop  of  Autun,  &c. 


napoleon  Buonaparte. 


2$7 

bishop.  He  firmly  believed  that,  in  doing  so,  he  was  pro* 
nouncing  his  sentence  of  death,  and,  for  eighteen  months, 
he  was  in  expectation  of  ascending  the  scaffold*  The  same 
courage  animated  the  majority  of  the  constitutional  bishops 
and  priests ; they  exercised  secretly,  their  ministry,  and 
consoled  the  faithful.  As  soon  as  the  rage  for  persecution 
began  to  abate,  Gregoire,  and  some  other  bishops,  who  had 
kept  up  a private  correspondence  with  the  clergy  of  various 
dioceses,  for  the  purpose  of  encouraging  them,  concerted 
together  in  order  to  reorganize  worship.  In  Nivose,  year, 
III.  (January  1795,)  Gregoire  demanded  this  liberty  of 
worship  of  the  national  convention.  He  was  very  sure  of 
meeting  with  outrages,  and  he  experienced  some  ; but  to 
speak  in  the  tribune  was  speaking  to  France  and  to  all  Eu- 
rope, and,  in  the  then  state  of  things,  he  was  almost  cer* 
tain  of  staggering  public  opinion,  which  would  force  the 
convention  to  grant  the  free  exercise  of  religion.  Accord- 
ingly, some  time  after  having  refused  the  liberty  of  worship, 
on  the  demand  of  Gregoire,  that  assembly  granted  it,  though 
with  evident  reluctance,  on  an  insulting  report  of  Boissy 
d’Anglas. 

The  voice  of  the  multitude,  which  clamoured  for  reli- 
gion, and  held  in  esteem  the  constitutional  clergy  as  religious 
and  patriotic,  checked,  in  some  respects,  the  hatred  of  the 
directory  and  its  agents.  Then  the  spirit  of  persecution 
took  a circuitous  way  to  gain  its  end : this  was,  to  cry 
down  religion  and  its  ministers,  to  promote  theophilanthro- 
py,  and  enforce  the  transferring  of  Sunday  to  the  decade,  or 
tenth  day  of  every  republican  month. 

The  bishops,  assembled  at  Paris,  again  caused  this  pro- 
ject to  miscarry,  and,  in  their  name,  Gregoire  compiled 
:wo  consultations  against  the  transferring  of  Sunday  to  the 
decade.  The  adhesion  of  all  the  clergy  was  the  fruit  of 
ris  labour ; but  all  this  drew  on  him  numerous  outrages, 
he  indigence  to  which  he  was  at  that  time  reduced,  and 
multiplied  threats  of  deportation.  The  functions  which  he 
tad  discharged,  and  the  esteem  of  the  friends  of  religion, 
'orrned  around  him  a shelter  of  opinion  that  saved  him  from 
deportation,  to  which  were  condemned  so  many  unfortu- 
late  constitutional  priests,  who  were  crowded,  with  the  re- 
factory among  others,  into  vessels  lying  in  the  road  to 
Rochefort. 


38 


298 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Gregoire  remonstrated  against  this  grievance,  and  ob 
tained  an  alleviation  for  his  brethren ; but  it  is  to  be  re- 
marked, that  in  giving  an  account  of  their  enlargement,  the 
dissentient  priests  took  care  not  to  mention  to  whom  they 
were  indebted  for  having  obtained  in  their  behalf  this  act  of 
humanity  and  justice. 

Religion,  under  the  consuls,  was  no  longer  an  object  of 
persecution,  but  of  care.  Free  toleration  of  opinion,  ground- 
ed upon  liberty  of  conscience,  and  secured  by  liberty  of 
worship,  seemed  to  promise  a jubilee  to  the  harassed  devo- 
tees. 

The  persecution  of  all  religion  for  several  years,  had  not 
subdued  the  jealousies  which  the  devout,  of  different  per- 
suasions entertained  of  each  other  ; and  the  conduct  of  the 
fanatics  proved  the  folly  of  giving  a power  to  any  one  sect  of 
oppressing  another. 

The  catholics  hated  the  protestants;  the  protestants  feared 
the  catholics  : the  philosophers  despised  both  ; and  neither 
body  was  content  that  the  others  should  be  as  free  as  them- 1 
selves.  Each  was  anxious  to  acquire  and  to  preserve  a po-  i 
litical  ascendancy  in  the  state  r — each  of  the  religious  parties  1 
began  to  indulge  a hope  of  its  becoming  the  national  church , 
establishment,  and  of  receiving  its  investiture  from  the  new 
government ; — each,  therefore,  intrigued  for  the  honour  of 
being  the  fulminator  of  the  decrees  of  heaven,  against  the 
good  sense,  the  manly  liberality,  and  the  honest  sentiments 
of  the  nation ; each  caballed  for  the  paraphernalia  which 
constitutes  the  dignity  of  the  spiritual  state-mummer;  and 
the  bulk  of  the  people,  who  were  to  be  the  objects  of  the 
delusion,  aided  their  designs  by  their  childish  desire  oi 
change. 

After  the  severe  contributions  levied  upon  the  ecclesias- 
tical states  in  1797,  the  general  got  his  brother,  Joscp! 
Buonaparte,  appointed  ambassador  to  the  pope.  The  pro- 
pensity that  powerfully  governed  the  French  at  that  period 
to  republicanize  every  government  into  which  they  coulc 
get  footing,  induced  Joseph  to  be  as  insolent  and  boisterou: 
at  Rome  as  Bernadotte  was  at  Vienna  ; and,  interferin' 
with  the  police  of  the  city,  upon  an  occasion  o!  tumult  tha 
happened  there,  a French  officer  of  his  establishment  wa 
killed.  No  stronger  circumstance  was  required  to  justify 
new  declaration  of  war  with  the  pope.  The  ambassado: 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


299 


inspired  by  wrath  and  indignation,  fled  with  his  complaints 
to  the  directory,  who,  as  before  stated,  decreed  Rome  a re- 
public. 


CHAPTER  XIX. 

Buonaparte’s  decided  declaration  in  favour  of  peace 
kid  attached  the  people  to  the  consular  government ; every 
principle  of  poiicy,  therefore,  called  upon  him  to  make  an 
i early  attempt  to  negotiate,  whatever  might  be  his  private  in- 
clination. 

Much  manoeuvreing,  it  has  already  been  seen,  had  been 
practised  on  either  side  during  die  war  to  cast  the  blame  of 
its  continuance  on  its  antagonist ; but  the  allies  did  not 
seem  disposed  to  incur  the  charge  of  a similar  duplicity 
upon  this  occasion.  The  archduke,  in  anticipation  of  some 
! sort  of  overture  from  the  enemy,  took  occasion,  as  early  as 
S the  4th  of  December,  to  communicate  his  sentiments  to 
the  anterior  circles  of  the  empire  from  his  head- quarters  at 
Donauescingen. 

On  the  31st  of  December  a French  messenger  arrived  at 
Dover,  bearing  a letter  to  the  king,  inclosed  in  one  to  the 
secretary  of  state,  lord  Grenville,  as  follows : 

“ MY  LORD, 

“ I dispatch,  by  order  of  general  Buonaparte,  first  con- 
isul  of  the  French  republic,  a messenger  to  London : he  is 
the  bearer  of  a letter  from  the  first  consul  of  the  French 
republic,  to  his  majesty  the  king  of  England.  I request 
you  to  give  the  necessary  orders  that  he  may  be  enabled  to 
deliver  it  directly  into  your  own  hands.  This  step,  in  itself, 
announces  the  importance  of  its  object. 

“ Accept,  my  lord,  the  assurance  of  my  highest  con- 
sideration. 

(Signed)  “Ch.  Mau.  Talleyrand.” 

“ Paris,  5th  Nivose,  8th  year  of  the  French 
republic,  (Dec.  25,  1799.) 

The  strong  and  marked  decision  of  the  cabinet  of  St. 
James’s  attached  the  court  of  Vienna  as  firmly  as  ever  to 
-he  common  cause  ; but  the  German  empire  became  daily 
less  and  less  convinced  of  the  necessity  of  continuing  the 


300 


THE  LIFE  OF 


war,  and  the  government  received  nothing  in  the  shape  of 
voluntary  aid.  Buonaparte  saw  in  this  laxity  a favourable 
symptom  for  his  object,  and  he  continued  to  correspond 
with  the  archduke  on  the  subject  of  peace,  sending  his 
aid-de-camp  to  the  head-quarters  of  the  prince,  because  he 
was  prohibited  from  proceeding  to  Vienna.  The  arrival  of 
general  Kray,  on  the  16th  of  February,  at  Donaueschingen, 
to  succeed  the  archduke  in  the  command  of  the  army,  made 
the  hopes  of  peace  vanish  like  the  morning  cloud. 

The  French  government  having  been  defeated  in  its  at- 
tempts to  procure  peace,  was  compelled  to  seek  it  at  the 
mouth  of  the  cannon.  The  determination  of  the  combined 
powers  to  prosecute  the  war  was  communicated  to  the  le- 
gislative body  on  the  7th  of  March.  The  address,  con- 
taining evident  proofs  of  indignation  against  Britain,  was 
conceived  in  the  following  terms  : 

“Frenchmen!  you  have  been  anxious  for  peace;  your 
government  has  desired  it  with  still  greater  ardour  : its  first 
steps,  its  most  constant  wishes,  have  been  for  its  attain- 
ment. The  English  ministry  has  betrayed  the  secret  of  its 
horrible  policy  : to  dismember  France,  destroy  its  marine 
and  its  ports,  strike  it  out  from  the  chart  of  Europe,  or 
lower  it  to  the  rank  of  secondary  powers ; to  keep  every 
nation  on  the  continent  divided  from  each  other,  in  order 
to  gain  possession  of  the  trade  of  the  whole  and  enrich  it- 
self with  their  spoils  ; to  obtain  this  horrible  triumph  it  is 
that  England  scatters  its  gold,  becomes  prodigal  of  its 
promises,  and  multiplies  its  intrigues.” 

Whatever  truth  there  might  be  in  the  allegation  on  either 
side,  it  is  certain  that,  from  this  period,  the  war  was  a mere 
personal  contest ; and,  if  it  be  true  that  the  allies  took  no 
very  lively  interest  in  the  re-establishment  of  the  Bourbons, 
it  will  be  a question,  whether  the  mere  desire  of  embarrass- 
ing an  individual  was  not  too  frivolous  a motive  for  hazard- 
ing the  further  effusion  of  blood. 

England  and  France  were  now,  more  clearly  than  ever, 
the  principals  in  the  war,  and  each  exerted  all  its  efforts  to 
strengthen  itself,  and  to  multiply  its  resources.  On  receiving 
intelligence  of  the  death  of  general  Washington,  Buona- 
parte made  an  effort  to  conciliate  America,  by  a well-timed 
compliment,  in  ordering  all  the  colours  and  officers  of  the 
republic  to  mount  black  crape  for  ten  days.  Such  of  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


301 


European  powers  as  had  persevered  in  a state  of  neutrality, 
were  also  considered  as  worthy  of  being  conciliated,  from 
political  motives. 

The  appearance  of  the  British  fleet  before  Genoa  had 
been  the  preconcerted  signal  for  the  commencement  of 
hostilities,  and  the  communication  of  the  French  by  sea 
was  now  totally  cut  off-  Prior  to  this  period  a quantity  of 
wheat  entered  the  port  of  Genoa,  which  prevented  the  city 
from  requesting  an  immediate  capitulation.  Next  day 
20,000  Austrians  marched  from  Acqui  to  Savona,  where 
the  republicans  had  no  more  than  3,000  men,  who  made  a 
vigorous,  though  unavailing,  opposition,  being  obliged  to 
fall  back  on  Cadibona,  of  which  the  Austrians  likewise 
gained  possession,  and  threatened  to  cut  oft'  the  communi- 
cation of  the  Genoese  army  with  France.  This  division  of 
the  republicans  was  saved  from  ruin  by  the  astonishing  ex- 
ertions of  general  Soult,  who  headed  the  centre.  The 
Austrians  entered  the  suburbs  of  Savona,  when  the  French 
evacuated  the  town,  and  effected  their  retreat  towards  Albi, 
forty-three  miles  north-north-west  of  the  former. 

While  the  Austrians  on  the  west  of  Genoa  were  engaged 
in  cutting  oft'  the  communication  of  the  republicans  with 
France,  the  eastern  division  gained  possession  of  Monte- 
faccio  : within  sight  of  the  town,  they  kindled  fires  as  a 
signal  to  the  insurgents,  who  were  further  excited  by  the 
sounding  of  the  tocsin.  They  were,  however,  compelled 
to  retreat  by  the  attack  of  general  Miolis,  who  pursued  his 
advantage,  and  made  1,500  of  them  prisoners  at  Campinar- 
digo,  among  whom  was  general  baron  d’  \spres.  The  chief 
benefit  resulting  from  this  victory  was  the  destroying  of  a 
spirit  of  insurrection  in  the  people  of  Genoa. 

The  battle  fought  at  Sasselo  on  the  10th  of  April,  be- 
tween the  French  and  Austrians,  was  extremely  bloody,  and 
the  contest  obstinate  on  both  sides,  but  victory  declared  in 
favour  of  the  latter,  as  the  republicans,  from  the  difficulty 
of  the  country,  found  it  impracticable  to  procure  informa- 
tion and  unite  their  forces,  according  to  the  injunctions  of 
Massena,  who  narrowly  escaped  being  taken  prisoner,  to- 
gether with  three  of  his  staff.  Soult  availed  himself  of 
Massena’s  movement  in  his  favour,  and  compelled  the  Aus- 
trians to  fall  back  upon  Tagliarino,  eleven  miles  north-east 
of  Genoa,  which  position  they  were  also  forced  to  abandon, 


302 


THE  LIFE  OF 


after  having  sustained  a considerable  loss.  The  French 
carried  the  mountain  Henrietta,  which  separated  the  two 
divisions  of  their  army,  formed  a junction,  and  the  Aus- 
trians, in  different  conflicts,  lost  about  4,000  men. 

A division  of  the  French  army  was  defeated  by  an  infe- 
rior number  of  imperialists,  and  driven  from  their  post  at 
Castelletto,  twenty-nine  miles  north-east  of  Genoa,  which 
was  soon  after  re-captured  by  Massena,  who  inflicted  on  the 
deserters  from  this  station  what  was  deemed  a punishment 
for  their  cowardice — they  were  to  remain  in  garrison  at 
Genoa. 

The  partial  victories  acquired  by  the  French  over  the 
enemy,  could  not  be  viewed  in  the  light  of  advantages,  but 
rather  of  misfortunes,  since  they  had  no  opportunities  of 
recruiting  their  diminishing  army,  while  their  opponents 
could  receive  every  thing  they  stood  in  need  of  with  little 
trouble  and  no  molestation.  Genoa  was,  therefore,  destined 
to  surrender  by  the  triumphant  assaults  of  famine  and  dis- 
ease, for  which  event  the  Austrians  had  only  to  wait  with 
patience.  The  army  of  Massena,  by  the  21st  of  April,  was 
reduced  to  9,500  men,  formed  into  two  divisions  under 
Miolis  and  Gamier,  which  were  to  be  opposed  to  an  army 
four  times  as  numerous  ; but  a more  dangerous  enemy 
within  the  walls  of  the  city — - famine , rendered  the  situation 
of  Massena  truly  deplorable. 

During  the  first  days  of  the  siege  of  Genoa  the  prisoners 
captured  by  the  republicans  were  sent  back  ; but  an  appre- 
hension that  they  might  be  employed  in  arms  against  the 
interest  of  France,  and  the  refusal  of  the  Austrian  com- 
mander to  exchange  them,  induced  the  republicans  after- 
wards to  retain  them.  But,  as  it  was  perilous  to  keep  them  j 
in  Genoa,  Massena  sent  them  on  board  the  vessels  that  were 
lying  in  the  harbour,  humanely  comprehending  them  in  the 
list  of  the  persons  who  were  ordered  to  receive  provisions 
from  the  Ligurian  republic.  Humanity  hears  with  horror 
the  recital  of  the  sufferings  these  wretched  beings  endured, 
who  converted  their  very  knapsacks  and  shoes  into  food  ! — 
The  government  durst  not  venture  to  send  any  person  on 
board,  lest  he  should  have  instantly  been  torn  in  pieces  and 
devoured,  to  satisfy  their  raging  appetites  ! Multitudes  of 
them  expired  amidst  inexpressible  misery ; while  others  j 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


303 


plunged  into  the  deep,  and  sought  a watery  grave,  to  termi- 
nate an  intolerable  existence. 

Whilst  Buonaparte  was  exerting  every  nerve  to  establish 
his  power  and  to  complete  the  subjugation  of  Europe,  a 
domestic  conspiracy  had  nearly  put  an  end  to  his  career ; it 
was  composed  of  jacobins,  royalists,  and  moderates ; men 
of  ruined  fortunes  and  disappointed  ambition,  who  united 
in  one  common  project  of  anarchy,  for  the  sake  of  pillage 
or  promotion : they  were  animated  with  no  patriotic  desire 
to  free  their  country  from  slavery,  for  Buonaparte  had  not 
proved  himself  a greater  tyrant  than  his  predecessors ; but 
though  their  scheme  failed  it  gave  him  a pretence  to  assume 
powers  which  were  dangerous  to  public  and  individual  lib- 
erty, and  shewed  the  first  glimpse  of  that  return  of  arbitrary 
power,  which  was  never  exceeded  under  the  monarchy. 

The  first  circumstance  which  testified  the  disposition  of 
Buonaparte  to  govern  by  his  own  will  was,  a law  which  he 
caused  to  be  passed  in  the  two  legislative  councils,  for  the 
creation  of  a special  criminal  tribunal,  suspending  the  trial 
by  jury,  and  enabling  the  judges  to  pronounce  summarily 
on  all  olfences  affecting  the  safety  of  the  state,  or  in  any 
measure  violating  the  social  compact ; a latitude  of  expres- 
' sion  which  put  the  life  of  every  man  in  danger  : the  judges 
were  partly  civil  and  partly  military,  and  were  permitted  to 
decide  merely  on  written  evidence.  The  pretended  object 
of  the  law  was,  to  repress  the  numerous  crimes  which  had 
been  committed  on  the  highways,  and  various  other  places, 

! by  a set  of  loose  people,  the  impure  dregs  of  the  revolution 
and  the  war,  who,  without  employment  or  fixed  residence, 
were  continually  preying  upon  the  rest  of  society  ; but  it 
was  easy  to  see  that  these  were  not  the  only  people  intended 
to  be  struck  by  the  law ; it  aimed  at  the  emigrants,  and  all 
those  who  might  be  supposed  capable  of  attempting  the  life 
of  the  first  consul ; and  as  such,  gave  an  arbitrary,  unlim- 
ited, and  dangerous  power  to  his  creatures  in  every  de- 
partment. The  law  met  with  considerable  opposition  in 
the  tribunate,  and  was  carried  only  by  a majority  of  eight, 
out  of  ninety  members  who  voted.  The  precedent  of  such 
an  attack  upon  the  constitution  was  fatal,  and  wherever  there 
are  certain  principles  established  as  the  guarantee  of  liberty, 
they  should  be  guarded  with  the  utmost  jealousy  ; for  the 
first  inroad  may  be  considered  as  breaking  down  the  whole. 


304 


THE  LIFE  OF 


The  greatest  evil  of  this  proceeding  was,  its  being  sanction 
ed  by  a decree  of  the  councils  ; for  when  injustice  is  com- 
mitted by  the  sole  will  of  an  individual,  it  may  be  remedied 
when  that  individual  is  removed,  and  the  glaring  atrocity  of 
his  conduct  makes  a general  impression.  The  most  in- 
sidious attack  upon  liberty  is  that  which  is  conducted  by 
regular  forms  ; and  the  most  dangerous  kind  of  tyranny  is 
that  which  is  established  by  law  ; but  Buonaparte  soon  re- 
lieved himself  from  all  legal  formality ; yet  his  advances  to  9 
supreme  power,  with  all  the  state  and  dignity  which  attend  9 
it,  were  slow  and  regular  ; the  tricks  and  trappings  of  state 
were  assumed  first  to  see  how  they  would  be  received  ; the 
etiquette  of  a court,  the  establishment  of  a levee,  of  draw- 
ing-rooms, and  all  the  pompous  ceremonials  of  monarchy, 
were  seemingly  well  relished  by  the  Parisians,  who  had  not 
yet  lost  all  their  affection  for  royalty  ; the  appellation  of  fe- 
male citizen  was  abolished,  and  the  ancient  feudal  title  of 
Madame  was  restored  ; and  though  the  name  of  citizen,  as 
founded  on  political  equality,  could  not  be  easily  dispensed 
with  by  a people  enamoured  of  their  late  revolution,  yet  the 
term  Monsieur  was  allowed  to  be  used  at  pleasure  ; all 
these  things  seemed  to  indicate  pretty  strongly,  that  Buo- 
naparte wished  to  banish  the  remembrance  of  that  revolu- 
tion which  had  given  him  his  place,  and  to  be  thought  to 
possess  an  authority  long  established.  The  increase  of  the 
consular  guard  took  place  about  the  same  time  with  the 
peevish  dismissal  of  the  councils,  and  the  re-establishment 
of  religion. 

Buonaparte  had  always  affected  to  be  the  patron  of  science 
and  literature,  and  his  brother  Lucien,  was  the  dispenser 
of  his  bounty,  the  Macasnas  of  his  favours ; for  Lucien  too 
had,  or  pretended  to  have,  a passion  for  literature,  and  de- 
livered two  or  three  well-turned  speeches,  which  gained 
him  the  praise  of  taste  and  liberality.  Tyrants  do  well  to 
purchase  the  praises  of  men  of  letters,  that  they  may  make 
a decent  figure  with  posterity  : and  the  Buonapartes  were 
extremely  fortunate  in  having  to  treat  with  an  obsequious 
generation,  whose  virtues  and  talents  were  not  rated  above 
the  price  of  their  pitiful  boons. 

The  paltry  pension  of  an  hundred  a year,  granted  by  the 
government  to  the  virtuous  St.  Lambert — ruined  by  the 
revolution,  and  eighty  years  of  age,  was  a poor  recompense 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


305 


for  his  philosophy  and  poetry  ! yet  when  governments  plead 
poverty,  as  the  minister  Lucien  did  in  his  letter  to  the  aged 
marquis,  they  only  mean  it  as  an  excuse  for  their  profligacy 
and  neglect  of  merit,  unless  they  design  to  shew  that  they 
expect  every  sort  of  service  at  their  own  price. 

Among  the  many  other  schemes  to  entrap  the  confidence 
of  the  nation,  and  to  make  them  believe  that  Buonaparte 
was  sincerely  interested  in  the  public  welfare,  was  the 
method  adopted  by  the  minister  of  the  interior  to  extend  the 
boundaries  of  knowledge  and  promote  the  improvement  of 
the  country  : for  this  purpose  he  commenced  a correspond- 
ence with  the  different  prefects  of  departments,  with  the 
school  of  medicine,  the  society  of  agriculture,  and  class  of 
sciences  belonging  to  the  public  institute,  lor  the  sake  of 
obtaining  a statistical  account  of  the  country  ; all  this  had 
the  effect  of  imposing  upon  the  public  ; but  it  was  soon 
abandoned.  Lucien  had  neither  steadiness  of  disposition, 
strength  of  mind,  nor  virtuous  principle  sufficient  to  pursue 
such  an  undertaking,  and  bring  it  to  maturity  ; he  is  a man 
I of  lively  talents,  but  not  possessed  of  solidity  requisite  for 
so  great  a purpose,  and  neither  he  nor  the  great  consul  him- 
self were  hearty  in  the  cause  ; they  had  both  adopted  the 
cant  of  philosophy,  without  embracing  its  principles  ; and 
their  only  object  was,  to  delude  the  people  with  an  idea  of 
their  being  actuated  by  patriotic  motives.  This  will  be  a 
ijsufficient  key  to  all  Buonaparte’s  schemes  of  public  good  : 

| he  knows  that  this  is  an  age  in  which  men  talk  much  about 
it,  but  that  very  few  actually  intend  it ; and  he  has  no  further 
view  himself  than  to  fall  in  with  the  temper  of  the  times,  in 
order  to  gain  himself  as  much  popularity  as  may  be  requi- 
site for  the  support  of  his  power. 

The  French  philosophers  have  written  much  to  prove, 
hat  the  belief  of  religion  was  not  essential  to  the  practice  of 
virtue  : and,  it  has  happened,  that  Buonaparte,  whilst  mo- 
nopolising all  the  military  giory  of  the  world,  has  so  far 
plucked  the  laurels  from  the  brows  of  those  philosophers, 
is  to  have  proved  that  the  virtue  of  their  disciples  does  not 
greatly  exceed  that  of  the  Christians.  How  miserably  dis- 
appointed were  all  those  who  looked  forward  to  the  vision 
pf  Condorcet,  when  “ the  inequality  of  nations  and  societies 
•vas  to  be  destroyed,  and  man  was  to  approach  perfection  I” 
Could  that  philosopher  have  visited  this  earth  again,  he 

39 


306 


THE  LIFE  OF 


might  have  found,  in  his  own  France,  a country  where  na- 
ture seemed  to  have  condemned  the  inhabitants  never  to  en- 
joy liberty,  and  never  to  exercise  their  reason. 

No  event  had  occurred,  from  the  first  dawn  of  the  French 
revolution,  that  led  to  consequences  more  important  in  their 
nature  or  more  extensive  in  their  effects  than  Buonaparte’s 
usurpation.  The  principles  of  republicanism  were  now 
subdued,  and  the  rights  of  man  no  longer  asserted  in  France 
— not  in  that  France,  which,  for  eight  long  years,  had  held 
the  dagger  to  the  breast  of  every  one  who  had  ventured  to 
doubt  the  political  equality  of  man,  and  which  had  traced 
the  source  of  every  vice  in  the  catalogue  of  moral  depravity 
up  to  the  one  single  act  of  acknowledging  any  individual 
capable  of  exercising  the  sovereign  authority  ! Such  a change 
could  not  fail  to  astonish  Europe  ; and  posterity  will  not  be 
surprised  that  it  produced  results  much  more  extensive  than 
were  immediately  observed. 

Among  the  most  obvious  of  those  effects  was  an  almost 
universal  paralysis  of  political  opinion,  which  insensibly, 
led  all  the  parties  in  the  different  countries  of  the  civilized 
world  into  an  endless  variety  of  inconsistencies,  for  which 
they  could  not  themselves  account. 

The  assumption  of  the  government  by  Buonaparte  ope- 
rated as  a kind  of  touchstone  upon  all  parties ; for  his  au- 
thority did  not  rest  upon  any  principle  that  those  who  pro- 
fessed their  attachment  to  liberty  had  not  exploded : and,  as 
far  as  regarded  mere  political  rule,  there  was  not  one  of 
those  principles  which  the  British  government  and  its  friends 
had  not  pointed  out  as  the  basis  of  good  order.  It  was 
evident  to  all  the  world  that  the  British  minister  had  pur- 
sued the  war  for  the  sole  purpose  of  discomfiting  jacobin- 
ism ; and  the  first  consul  had  drank  so  deep  of  the  spiri 
which  actuated  that  minister  that  he  laboured  day  and  nigh 
for  the  same  object ; and  yet,  when  he  sued  for  that  friend 
ship  which  kindred  spirits  generally  bear  to  each  other,  in 
stead  of  acknowledging  Buonaparte’s  merits,  Mr.  Pitt  ob 
stinately  repulsed  him,  as  if  he  had  really  been  the  “ child 
and  champion  of  jacobinism.” 

It  was  equally  evident,  that  all  those  who  associated  the 
affairs  of  France  with  the  cause  of  liberty,  professed  to  d< 
so,  only  because  they  supposed  that  the  success  of  Franc< 
would  lead  to  the  establishment  of  governments  foundec 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


307 


upon  the  choice  of  the  people,  and  acting  for  their  good  : 
but  the  catastrophe  of  the  legislative  body  of  France  had 
proved  that  the  voice  of  the  people  was  entirely  stifled  : they 
had  seen  Buonaparte,  at  the  head  of  his  gens-farmes  and 
mamelukes,  picking  out  such  of  the  representatives  of  the 
people  as  he  disliked  and  throwing  them  into  dungeons,  in 
the  same  manner  as  they  had  seen  Pitt,  at  the  head  of  his 
officers  of  police,  throw  their  countrymen  into  solitary  cells, 
under  the  suspension  of  the  Habeas  Corpus  act : yet,  in  the 
same  breath,  they  could  hold  up  Pitt  as  an  object  of  exe- 
cration,, and  Buonaparte  as  a pattern  of  imitation  ! 

Not  a rational  effort,  not  a rational  suggestion  in  favour 
of  liberty  made  its  appearance  in  England^  after  this  period  ; 
and,  if  ever  such  an  event  should  happen  again,  it  will  not 
be  till  that  listless  and  torpid  part  of  the  community,  which 
credulously  follows  the  unexamined  opinions  of  others,  shall 
become  wise  enough  to  take  the  trouble  of  thinking  for  it- 
self, and  following  such  leaders  as  fairly  explain  their  ulti- 
mate designs  in  clear  and  unequivocal  terms. 

The  overthrow  of  republicanism,  by  Buonaparte,  placed 
the  court,  the  ministers,  the  politicians,  and  the  people  of 
England,  in  a very  different  situation  to  what  they  were  in 
before  that  event : yet  none  possessed  discernment  enough 
to  discover  the  change  but  the  small  circle  that  formed  the 
interior  cabinet  of  St.  James’s.  Great  numbers  of  those 
who  opposed  the  government,  whether  from  good  or  bad 
motives,  had  constituted  the  imitative  mass  already  spoken 
I of,  who  formed  all  their  notions  after  the  French  fashion  : 

| with  them  the  sovereign  specific  for  all  the  disorders  of  man- 
kind was  hatred  to  kings;”  and  they  compounded  their 
remedy  with  such  a copious  mixture  of  error,  misrepresen- 
tation, and  malevolence,  that  the  court  hardly  needed  the 
recollection  of  the  fate  of  the  unfortunate  bouse  of  Bourbon 
to  teach  it  the  necessity  of  courting  all  the  affection  and  all 
the  talents  that  could  be  brought  to  its  support.  The  dan- 
ger was  now  over  : the  whole  body  of  unprincipled  refor- 
mers, the  whole  generation  of  apes,  -were  nonplussed! 
Representatives  of  the  people,  committees  of  public  safety, 
and  directors  without  number,  they  could  have  found  at  any 
time  ; but  a first  consul  they  were  totally  unprovided  with  ; 
st  was  an  exigence  altogether  unforeseen : and  it  was  evident 


308 


THE  LIFE  OF 


that  they  must  put  up  with  an  old  king  till  they  should  find 
out  a new  consul  ! 

The  national  character  was  changed,  and  the  old  English 
hospitality,  that  yet  displayed  its  smiling  face  in  1793,  was 
superceded  by  gaunt  frugality  and  care  ; which  treated 
generosity,  in  all  its  visits,  as  an  impertinent  interloper,  and 
taught  both  rich  and  poor,  the  Jew  as  well  as  the  Christian, 
the  philosopher  as  the  atheist,  to  unite  in  tormenting  each 
other  by  the  magical  effect  of — love  thyself — preserve 
thyself — take  care  of  thyself. 

The  virtuous  love  of  country  was  reduced  to  as  low  an 
ebb  in  England  as  in  any  despotism  in  Europe,  and  a sor- 
did spirit  of  party  had  usurped  its  place  : few  persons  were 
to  be  found  whose  views  remained  sufficiently  liberal  to 
contemplate  the  welfare  of  all  classes  equally.  An  anxiety 
to  commit  reprisals  upon  each  other  was  the  prevailing 
feeling  that  distracted  every  breast,  politically  considered  ; 
and  the  patriot  struggle  of  how  much , was  changed  into  how 
little  each  should  do  for  his  country. 

The  issue  of  the  French  revolution  had  shewn,  as  far  as 
jt  had  gone,  that  a corrupt  people  were  incapable  of  pro- 
ducing a pure  government ; and  the  argument  was  as  ap- 
plicable to  the  people  of  England  as  to  the  people  of  France ; 
for  those  w'  o approved  of  the  French  excesses  would  have 
committed  them  themselves,  if  they  had  had  the  same  op- 
portunity, and  would  have  bowed  their  necks  to  a military 
tyrant  in  their  own  country  as  readily  as  they  admired  him 
in  another.  But  none  of  the  British  patriots  had  patriotism 
enough  to  remonstrate  with  their  countrymen  for  this  profli- 
gacy ; if,  therefore,  any  of  the  political  wrestlers  of  Eng- 
land, who  entered  upon  the  nineteenth  century,  contend  for 
principles  more  important  than  the  difference  between  a 
king  and  a consul,  those  principles  are  wholly  concealed, 
and  the  wise  reformers  have  not  advanced  two  ideas  before 
the  council  of  five  hundred,  who  were  “ caught  napping” 
at  St.  Cloud. 

This  abandonment  of  principle,  on  the  part  of  the  English 
reformers,  surprised  Buonaparte  as  much  as  did  the  per- 
sonal enmity  that  the  Pittites  seemed  to  entertain  against 
him.  The  press  of  France  had  long  been  rendered  inca- 
pable of  speaking  any  sentiment  but  that  of  the  govern- 
ment ; and  the  only  appearance  of  free  discussion  that  was 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


309 


preserved  in  Europe  was  by  means  of  some  occasional 
journals  in  Holland,  and  the  gazettes  supported  by  the 
English  reformers.  To  those  of  Holland  he  paid  no  re- 
gard ; because,  as  he  kept  a constant  supply  of  troops  in 
that  country,  he  could  as  easily  bastile  their  authors  and 
printers,  as  he  could  those  of  France  : to  the  firmness  and 
consistency  of  “ Burke’s  eighty  thousand  incorrigibles”  he 
looked  with  more  dread.  He  had  figured  to  himself  a club 
at  Hamburgh,  consisting  of  English,  Irish,  and  French 
jacobins,  united  to  fulminate  anathemas  against  an  armed 
despotism,  and  to  remind  the  French,  that  “ for  a nation 
to  be  free,  it  is  sufficient  that  she  wills  it.”  He  had  ex- 
pected that  his  own  authority,  joined  to  that  of  the  Pitt 
ministry,  would  have  been  necessary  to  subdue  an  obstinate 
and  stiff-necked  race,  equally  obnoxious  and  troublesome 
to  both  : but  when  he  found  that  the  Pittites  were  so  ill 
acquainted  with  their  own  interests  that  they  would  hazard 
the  restoration  of  the  republic  rather  than  make  peace  with 
his  despotism,  he  conceived  too  contemptible  an  opinion  of 
them  to  care  whether  he  concluded  a peace  with  them  or 
not : and,  when  he  saw  the  reformers  filing  off  to  his  mon- 
archy as  complaisantly  as  if  he  had  been  chosen  by  univer- 
sal suffrage,  he  regarded  them  as  a mere  grumbling  faction, 
whose  best  principles  were  their  personal  resentments,  for 
the  gratification  of  which  they  would  readily  follow  any  ad- 
venturer ; and  he  saw  that  they  might,  one  day,  become 
the  humble  instruments,  in  his  hands,  of  promoting  his  am- 
bitious view’s  upon  their  own  country. 

There  is  no  example  of  baseness  in  the  annals  of  mankind 
equal  to  the  conduct  of  a collection  of  reformers  at  Paris, 
who  had  abjured  their  several  countries  on  account  of  a 
congeniality  of  sentiment  that  they  expected  to  find  in 
France.  No  necessity  whatever  had  called  upon  them  to 
exile  themselves:  it  was  the  delicacy  of  their  sentiments 
alone  which  had  rendered  them  incapable  of  submitting  to 
the  authorities  under  which  they  were  born,  because  they 
had  exercised  no  voice  in  their  election.  Freedom,  they 
pretended,  was  to  be  found  under  the  republican  form  of 
government  alone : to  support  this  form,  they  taught,  that 
every  relation  of  life  was  to  be  dissolved  and  every  social 
tie  abandoned : yet  the  general,  at  the  head  of  his  grena- 
diers, had  no  sooner  proclaimed  himself  chief  of  their 


310 


THE  LIFE  OF 


adopted  country,  than  they  obsequiously  acknowledged  as 
their  sovereign,  a man  whom  they  had,  a few  days  before, 
familiarly  addressed  as  their  fellow-citizen,  and  who  had 
done  more  than  almost  any  other  person  to  persuade  them 
that  they  ought  never  to  submit  to  the  sovereign  rule  ! 

The  termination  of  the  civil  wars  released  a considerable 
body  of  troops,  who  were  dispatched  forthwith  to  the  armies. 
Carnot,  the  minister  of  war,  and  general  Moreau,  had  con- 
vinced the  consul  that  the  issue  of  the  campaign  would 
greatly  depend  upon  a severe  blow  being  struck  in  the  heart 
of  Germany,  where  he  had  already  signalized  himself  with 
so  much  honour  to  his  military  talents.  Fortune  favoured 
this  plan ; for,  after  the  archduke  had  left  the  Austrian  ar- 
my, the  Aulic  council  had  resolved  to  transfer  the  theatre 
of  war  to  Italy.  The  first  effort  of  Moreau  was  to  cross 
the  Rhine  into  the  Brisgaw,  between  Strasburgh  and  Hu- 
ninguen. 

General  Kray,  successor  to  the  archduke,  arranged  his 
army  in  four  divisions,  under  generals  Kollowrath,  Klin- 
glin,  Stzarray,  and  Klenau.  Two  armies  of  reserve  were 
ordered  to  be  formed,  by  authority  of  the  Aulic  council  of 
Vienna,  one  of  them  to  recruit  the  army  of  Italy  and  the 
other  to  be  stationed  in  Bohemia  ; and  the  Bavarian  troops, 
in  the  pay  of  Great  Britain,  were  assembled  at  Donawerth,  | 
under  the  duke  of  Deux-Ponts.  Orders  were  received  at 
the  head-quarters  of  the  Austrian  army  about  the  middle  of 
April,  for  opening  the  campaign,  but  hostilities  did  not 
commence  till  the  25th,  by  the  left  wing  of  the  French  ar- 
my, in  the  passage  of  the  Rhine,  commanded  by  St.  Su- 
sanne  and  St.  Cyr,  at  fort  Kehl,  and  New  Brisach,  thirty- 
live  miles  south  of  the  former.  A variety  of  skirmishes 
took  place  in  the  Brisgaw,  attended  with  little  advantage 
to  the  hostile  armies,  only  the  French  general  succeeded  in 
deceiving  the  Austrians  as  to  the  real  point  he  designed  to 
attack. 

General  St.  Susanne  obliged  the  Austrians  to  fall  back 
on  Offenbourg,  while  St.  Cyr  made  himself  master  of  Freis- 
bourg ; and  another  division,  under  Richepanse,  was  order- 
ed to  march  through  Basil,  with  instructions  to  take  a po- 
sition in  the  vicinity  of  Schillenger.  While  St.  Cyr  appear- 
ed to  meditate  a passage  by  the  defiles  of  the  valley  of 
Kintzig,  under  the  pretext  of  forming  a junction  with  St. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


311 


Susanne,  and  force  his  way  through  the  Black  Forest,  this 
latter  general  left  the  Austrians  to  wait  for  him,  again  cross- 
ed the  Rhine,  and  ascending  it  on  the  French  side,  again 
re-crossed  it,  and  posted  himself  at  Freisbourg,  thirty  miles 
north-east  by  north  of  Basil,  which  had  been  left  by  St. 
Cvr  for  the  purpose  of  marching  against  St.  Blaise,  twenty- 
five  miles  south-east  of  the  former. 

Generals  Delmas  and  Leclerc  were  ordered  to  set  out 
from  Basil  for  Seckingen  : general  Richepanse  was  ordered 
to  go  against  St.  Blaise  at  once  to  support  the  movement  of 
general  St.  Cyr,  and  the  right  wings  of  Delmas  and  Leclerc. 
General  Delmas,  with  four  battalions,  forced  the  Austrian 
positions  on  the  Alb,  and  pursued  the  enemy  with  so  much 
speed  that  they  could  not  destroy  the  bridge.  T wo  pieces 
of  cannon  and  200  prisoners,  were  taken  by  the  French  in 
this  affair  ; at  the  same  time  general  Richepanse  repulsed 
four  battalions  who  advanced  from  St.  Blaise,  and  took  150 
prisoners. 

While  the  French  were  thus  manoeuvring,  the  Austrians 
were  resisting  several  divisions  of  the  enemy,  which  re- 
solved to  carry  the  positions  of  the  Black  Forest,  towards 
the  sources  of  the  Danube.  Moreau,  in  the  mean  time, 
having  dispatched  a considerable  body  of  troops,  and  sent 
reinforcements  to  the  right  wing  of  his  army,  under  Le- 
courbe,  gave  orders  for  crossing  the  Rhine  between  Schaff- 
hausen  and  Stein,  and  attacked  the  rear  of  the  Austrian 
army.  This  manoeuvre  was  so  unexpected  by  the  Aus- 
trians, that  the  passage  of  the  river  was  effected  without  any 
material  loss  ; and  Lecourbe,  in  about  three  hours  after, 
posted  himself  on  the  right  side.  He  engaged  the  Aus- 
trians under  Fort  Hohenwiel,  eleven  miles  north-east  of 
Schaff  hausen  ; he  gained  the  fort  by  capitulation,  and  made. 
800  prisoners,  after  which  he  directed  his  route  on  the  rear 
of  the  imperial  army  at  Stockach,  twenty-four  miles  north- 
east of  Schaffhausen,  while  Moreau,  with  his  centre  and 
left  divisions,  marched  on  to  the  village  of  Engen.  At  the 
end  of  eight  days  after  the  opening  of  the  campaign  the 
French  were  not  only  in  possession  of  Offenbourg,  Freis- 
bourg, St.  Blaise,  and  Hohenwiel,  but  they  had  obliged 
general  Kray  to  abandon  the  advantageous  camp  at  Do- 
naueschingen,  to  which  the  archduke  had  advanced  after 
the  defeat  of  the  French  at  Stockach,  in  the  former  year. 


312 


THE  LIFE  OF 


The  French  had  already  taken  nine  pieces  of  cannon  and 
1,500  prisoners ; and  they  were  evidently  not  worse  situated 
than  at  the  close  of  the  last  campaign. 

General  Kray  was  now  fully  undeceived  as  to  the  designs 
of  Moreau,  and  he  assembled  the  main  body  of  his  army, 
which  had  been  considerably  dispersed  ; but  so  perfectly 
ignorant  were  the  Austrians  of  the  force  they  had  to  en- 
counter, that  they  could  not  collect  a sufficient  army  to  face 
the  enemy,  though  they  had  been  all  the  winter  preparing. 
The  main  army  could  not  advance  for  fear  of  leaving  the 
archduke  Ferdinand,  generals  Grinlay  and  Kienmayer,  with 
their  corps,  in  danger  of  being  cut  off,  they  not  being  able 
to  run  so  fast  from  Offenbourg  and  Freisbourg  as  the 
French  ran  after  them. 

In  the  mean  time,  Lecourbe  fell  in  with  a body  of  Aus- 
trian troops  under  the  command  of  prince  Joseph  of  Lor- 
raine, in  the  vicinity  of  Stockach,  which  he  defeated  with 
very  great  loss,  and  pursued  them  beyond  that  town,  after 
taking  a vast  number  of  cannon,  besides  magazines  and 
stores. 

Moreau  attacked  them  at  Engen,  and,  after  a desperate 
conflict,  carried  every  one  of  their  posts,  and  being  nearly 
surrounded,  they  retreated  during  the  night  towards  Mos- 
kirch,  twenty-four  miles  north-east  by  east  of  Engen.  The 
loss  sustained  by  the  Austrians  on  the  3d  of  May,  in  the 
vicinity  of  Stockach,  was  upwards  of  10,000  men,  in  which 
number  4,000  prisoners  were  included.  The  singular  mode 
of  attack  adopted  by  Moreau  was  not  foreseen  by  the  ene- 
my, and,  consequently,  the  imperialists  sustained  a pro- 
digious loss  in  magazines  and  baggage.  With  such  a ra- 
pidity did  the  Austrians  retreat,  that  the  French  found  it 
impossible  to  keep  pace  with  them,  although  they  wished 
to  inflow  them  no  time  to  collect  their  forces.  Kray  was  as- 
tonished at  all  he  had  beheld  of  the  masterly  generalship  of 
Moreau  ; yet,  as  he  had  a formidable  army  under  his  com- 
mand, he  was  determined  to  stop  the  career  of  the  French 
army,  or  make  their  advance  cost  them  dear.  The  arch- 
duke Ferdinand  had  not  joined  the  army  at  the  time  of  the 
battle  of  Engen  ; and  the  counsellors  of  the  Austrian  camp 
could  only  account  for  the  strength  of  Moreau’s  army,  by 
believing  that  five  divisions  had  been  lent  him  from  the  cam 
at  Dijon, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


313 


By  thelossofStockach  and  Engen,  which  general  Kray  had 
fortified,  the  whole  of  a country  where  he  expected  to  make 
i vigorous  defence,  and  every  position  between  Donaues- 
phingen  and  the  Rhine  was  taken  by  the  French  : he  had 
low  to  contend  against  the  menacing  route  of  the  French 
irmy,  determined  to  penetrate  into  the  very  heart  of  Ger- 
nany.  He  got,  by  virtue  of  his  rapid  retreat,  between 
Vforeau  and  the  final  object  of  his  march,  took  a position 
t Moskirch,  and  waited  the  assault  of  the  French  general, 
^.t  Moskirch  the  Austrian  army  was  joined  by  the  corps  of 
irince  Joseph,  general  Grinlay,  the  Bavarians  in  the  pay  of 
England,  and  the  archduke  Ferdinand,  who  had  displayed 
nuch  skill  in  his  retreat,  having  contrived  to  take  three  pie- 
:es  of  cannon  and  some  prisoners  from  the  French. 

The  army  of  general  Kray  amounted  to  near  40,000  men  ; 
general  Moreau’s  to  full  that  number.  Both  armies  were 
in  high  spirits.  Moreau  had  now  his  antagonist  before 
im,  and  he  arranged  his  army  for  an  immediate  engage - 
lent,  one  division  of  it  being  commanded  by  himself  in 
terson,  and  another  by  general  St.  Cyr,  stationed  between 
itockach  and  the  Danube.  The  battle  began  on  the  plain 
efore  the  wood  of  Grembach,  of  which  place  the  French 
Don  made  themselves  masters.  The  Austrians,  whose  ar- 
llery  was  far  superior  to  that  of  the  French,  made  every 
ffort  to  turn  the  left  wing  of  the  enemy,  and  fought  with 
esperate  valour,  from  the  recollection  of  the  signal  victory 
j/hich  had  been  gained  over  them  only  the  day  before, 
"heir  attacks  were  extremely  brisk,  and  it  required  all  the 
ool  and  steady  courage  of  Moreau,  and  such  an  army  as 
e commanded,  to  meet  them.  Three  times  forced,  by  the 
alour  and  impetuosity  of  the  Austrians,  to  change  their 
ost,  they  manoeuvred  with  the  greatest  calmness,  and  as 
ften  recovered  their  ground.  In  all  probability,  the  fate 
f this  day  would  have  been  favourable  for  the  Austrians, 
iad  not  Richepanse  come  up  with  the  division  under  his 
ommand,  which  turned  the  scale  in  favour  of  the  French, 
he  imperialists  being  forced  to  retreat  a second  time,  with 
he  loss  of  about  9,000  men. 

These  extraordinary  defeats,  induced  Moreau  to  conclude 
aat  Kray  would  return  to  Ulm  ; but  extremely  averse  to 
le  making  of  such  a sacrifice,  while  his  army  was  re* 
)ec table,  he  took  the  intervening  line  of  the  Riss,  which  he 

40 


314 


THE  LIFE  OF 


gained  by  forced  marches,  and  where  he  was  determined  ti 
await  the  result  of  another  battle,  but  where  the  French  di< 
not  long  permit  him  to  continue. 

Possessed  of  the  heights  in  front  of  the  Riss,  Kra 
deemed  himself  secure  ; but  two  divisions,  under  St.  Cyi 
had  previously  got  possession  of  Biberach,  which  thes 
heights  commanded.  Richepanse  finding  himself  so  pow 
erfully  supported,  after  sustaining  a heavy  fire  of  artiller 
for  four  hours,  crossed  the  river,  and  made  himself  mas 
ter  of  this  strong  position : his  cavalry  crossed  the  bridg 
at  the  town,  in  defiance  of  a tremendous  fire,  and  gainei 
the  rear  of  the  Austrian  infantry.  To  this  bold  manceuvr 
the  republicans  were  indebted  for  the  good  fortune  of  th 
day.  The  imperialists  were  forced  to  retreat  a third  timt 
after  losing  3,000  taken  prisoners,  and  2,000  left  dead  o ' 
the  field. 

Thus  repeatedly  vanquished,  Kray  was  obliged  to  collet 
his  forces  around  Uim.  He  was  joined  by  the  corps  (1 
Kienmayer  and  Watteville,  (Swiss  in  the  English  pay,)  an 
other  powerful  reinforcements,  which  increased  his  army  t 
near  60,000  men.  Moreau  fixed  his  head-quarters  at  Men 
mingen,  extending  his  right  wing  to  Augsburg  and  Land1 
perg,  fifty-three  miles  south  by  east  of  Donawerth,  and  tlij 
same  distance  from  Ulm,  in  a south-east  direction  augment 
ing  his  force  also,  by  all  the  troops  that  could  be  draw 
from  Switzerland.  The  French  were  here  attacked  b 
the  Austrians,  when  a desperate  engagement  ensued,  an 
victory  again  declared  in  their  favour,  the  enemy  having  n 
treated  in  disorder  across  the  Danube,  after  the  loss  c 
2,000  men  taken  prisoners.  Kray,  now  finding  it  imposs 
ble  to  check  the  victorious  career  of  the  French  army,  b 
offensive  operations,  resolved  to  maintain  his  post  at  Uln 
in  the  hope  of  receiving  supplies  from  Vienna.  The  dt 
signs  of  this  veteran  were  soon  comprehended  by  gener; 
Moreau,  who  knew  that  Kray  commanded  both  banks  c 
the  Danube  while  in  his  intrenched  camp  ; and,  therefore 
lie  resolved  to  cross  the  river  below  Ulm,  and  thus  cut  off  th 
Austrian  commander  from  his  magazines  at  Donawerth,  a 
well  as  his  expected  aid  from  the  interior  of  German] 
While  the  French  marched  towards  the  Danube,  Kra\ 
comprehending  their  intention,  strongly  reinforced  the  lei 
bank  of  the  river,  to  oppose  their  passage.  The  engage 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


315 


merit  took  place  at  Hoohstet,  and  victory  was  again  pro- 
pitious to  the  French  ; the  imperial  army  having  lost  4,000 
nen,  independent  of  the  killed  and  wounded. 

Kray,  seeing  the  danger  of  his  situation,  collected  his 
roops  together,  after  leaving  a strong  garrison  at  Ulm,  and 
:rossed  the  Danube  at  Newburgh,  as  if  he  designed  to 
nake  the  enemy  abandon  the  left  bank  of  that  river  in  the 
icinity  of  Ulm.  A battle  ensued,  which  raged  with  fury  till 
ight,  when  the  Austrians  were  compelled  to  retreat,  and 
all  back  upon  Ingolstadt : by  this  retreat  the  French  be- 
ame  masters  of  the  electorate  of  Bavaria,  Ulm  was  block- 
ded ; and  Moreau’s  army  marched  forward,  and  fixed  its 
ead-quarters  at  Munich,  without  farther  trouble  or  mo- 
astation. 

In  the  course  of  these  exertions  many  inferior  actions 
)ok  place  between  detached  corps,  with  various  success, 
ut  all  had  a tendency  to  serve  the  French,  as  they  led  to 
I le  state  of  things  for  which  both  Moreau  and  the  first  con- 
iil  were  exerting  themselves,  namely,  to  disable  Austria 
:om  sending  any  supplies  to  general  Melas  in  Italy. 
Moreau  had  now  so  well  secured  himself  by  the  fortresses 
>at  he  held  in  Switzerland  and  Bavaria,  that  he  was  able 
' spare  25,000  men  to  strengthen  the  army  of  reserve,  by 
ay  of  Switzerland. 

About  the  period  that  the  campaign  was  opened  on  the 
:hine,  the  army  of  reserve  began  its  march  from  Dijon  : 
te  government  announced  it  to  be  at  that  time  50,000 
irong,  and  receiving  reinforcements  every  day.  The  chief 
msul  made  it  no  secret,  that  he  was  to  take  upon  himself 
e chief  command  : on  the  5th  of  May,  he  arrived  at  Di- 
n,  where  he  reviewed  the  army.  Ridiculous  and  chimer- 
al  as  the  allies  treated  the  consul’s  idea  of  leading  his  ar- 
:.y  to  victory  by  way  of  the  Alps;  Buonaparte,  trusting  to 
ie  resources  of  his  invincible  mind,  promised  his  troops 
; Dijon,  that  in  two  decades  he  would  lead  them  to  Mi- 
ln  ! It  was  incredible,  and  the  unbounded  confidence  of 
is  army,  was  necessary  to  receive  such  an  assurance  in  any 
' her  light  than  the  vapouring  of  a coxcomb.  The  consul 
Jid  performed  his  journey  from  Paris  to  Dijon  in  tvventy- 
. re  hours,  and  he  lost  no  time  to  transmit  an  account  of  his 
rival  to  the  second  and  third  consuls  at  Paris.  Before  the 
lies  knew  of  his  departure  he  had  taken  up  his  residence 


316 


THE  LIFE  OF 


in  the  Valais,  at  the  house  of  convalescence,  belonging  to 
the  monks  of  St.  Bernard  ; there  he  continued  three  days, 
and  made  himself  acquainted  with  all  the  local  obstacles  that 
he  had  to  surmount. 

The  height  of  the  mountain,  over  which  it  was  necessary 
for  them  to  pass,  was  one  thousand  eight  hundred  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  sea  : it  requires  two  days  to  climb  to  the 
top  of  it ; not  because  of  its  height,  but  on  account  of  the 
ice  which  constantly  envelopes  it. 

The  advanced  guard,  under  general  Lasnes,  took  a few 
hours  to  refresh  their  harassed  bodies  and  marched  to  attack 
Aoste,  capital  of  the  dutchy  of  that  name,  and  the  first  towr 
in  Piedmont.  The  inhabitants  are  a simple  people,  quite 
indifferent  as  to  who  governs  them.  An  Hungarian  bat- 
talion attempted  to  defend  the  town,  but  it  was  obliged  tc 
retire  with  loss,  when  a deputation  of  the  place  set  out  tc 
wait  upon  the  consul  with  compliments  of  surrender. 

From  hence  the  army  proceeded  to  Chatillon,  a town  alsc 
in  the  dutchy  of  Aoste,  situated  on  the  Doria  Baltea,  three 
leagues  south-east  of  Aoste.  General  Lasnes,  in  advancing 
towards  it,  was  informed  that  the  enemy  was  disposed  t< 
make  a resistance  on  a draw-bridge,  constructed  on  a pre 
cipice,  over  which,  so  as  to  avoid  this  pass,  it  was  no 
possible  for  infantry  to  make  their  way.  Without  a mo 
meat’s  hesitation  the  chief  of  brigade,  Fournier,  spran; 
forwards,  and  with  the  12th  hussars,  attacked  them  in  si 
brisk  a manner,  that  in  a short  time  the  force  which  hai 
advanced  to  defend  the  pass  was  overthrown  or  sabred,  am 
the  passage  cleared  of  every  man  of  the  enemy,  who  los 
40  of  Ferdinand’s  hussars  prisoners,  with  200  infantry,  am! 
a three-pounder,  which  composed  the  whole  of  their  arti! 
lery.  The  fugitives  were  pursued  as  far  as  fort  de  Bam 
having  only  bare  time  to  raise  the  draw-bridge  after  then] 
The  impetuosity  of  the  French  here  led  them  into  a mistake 
which  decidedly  proves,  that,  if  they  had  been  matche 
by  an  enemy  any  way  their  equal,  either  in  vigilance  c 
resources,  it  would  not  have  been  difficult  to  have  stoppe 
their  progress.  In  choosing  to  pass  the  fort  they  had  take 
the  most  dangerous  routes.  To  communicate  a just  ide 
of  the  difficulties  to  be  encountered  at  the  fort,  or  rath< 
rock,  de  Barre,  it  is  necessary  only  to  describe  its  milita’ 


and  geographical  situation : 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPAKTE. 


317 


Under  a military  point  of  view,  this  rock  stopped  short 
the  whole  army,  and  pent  it  up  as  it  were  in  a narrow  neck, 
where  four  days  would  have  been  sufficient  to  have  exhaust- 
ed the  whole  of  their  subsistence,  and  which  the  difficult 
and  toilsome  passage  over  Mount  St.  Bernard,  had  left  no 
means  of  supplying.  With  respect  to  its  geographical  con- 
sideration, nature,  without  any  aid  from  art,  had  formed 
this  rock  of  such  materials,  that  it  might  truly  be  consid- 
ered as  impregnable ; and,  to  render  its  accessibility  the 
more  difficult,  had  conferred  on  it  the  form  of  a sugar-loaf. 
The  road  is  at  its  foot,  which  is  watered  by  the  Doria,  a 
deep,  rapid,  and  dangerous  river,  whose  opposite  bank  is 
also  formed  of  high  rocks,  inaccessible  to  man,  and  which 
serve  only  for  the  habitation  of  marmots  and  screech-owls. 
To  the  left  of  the  arch  are  seen  other  rocks,  not  less  ele- 
vated than  the  former,  but  less  impracticable,  being  even 
strewed,  here  and  there,  with  vines,  to  which  the  sad  inhab- 
itants of  this  country  have  access  by  means  of  steps  cut  in 
the  rocks. 

There  was  but  one  of  two  courses  to  pursue  ; that  of 
taking  the  fort  by  assault,  or  of  seeking  for  another  passage, 
which,  by  avoiding  the  fort,  might  enable  the  army  to  pur- 
sue its  route.  Each  of  these  measures  appeared  to  bid 
equal  defiance  to  force  and  ingenuity.  But  the  genius  of 
Buonaparte  inspired  the  whole  body,  and  it  was  on  this 
occasion,  more  perhaps  than  on  any  other,  proved,  that 
nothing  is  impossible  to  him  who  is  resolved  to  effect  his 
object. 

Three  companies  of  grenadiers  possessed  themselves  of 
the  suburbs  of  the  place,  and  lodged  therein.  During  the 
day  they  hid  themselves,  that  they  might  not  be  cannonaded 
by  the  guns  of  the  fort.  But,  nevertheless,  through  the 
casements  they  shot  all  those  who  shewed  themselves 
through  the  embrasures  and  notches  of  the  wall,  and  in  this 
way  greatly  disquieted  the  enemy. 

It  has  already  been  observed,  that  art  had  left  the  fortifi 
cation  of  the  rock  de  Barre  to  nature  entirely.  Twenty-two 
pieces  of  cannon,  a garrison  of  500  men,  several  mortars, 
with  some  advanced  works,  defended  its  approach,  which 
the  above  means  rendered  very  difficult. 

About  eleven  o’clock  at  night,  by  the  light  of  the  moon, 
the  chief  of  brigade  of  the  56th,  at  the  head  of  several 


318 


THE  LIFE  OF 


companies  of  grenadiers,  marched  silently  across  the  great 
blocks  of  stone  and  rock  scattered  here  and  there,  reached 
the  pallisades,  climbed  over  them,  amidst  a shower  of  balls, 
and  forced  the  enemy,  with  the  bayonet  at  their  backs,  from 
work  to  work,  till,  full  of  terror,  they  retired  in  disorder 
within  the  castle  : all  this  while  the  cannon  was  thundering, 
and  the  firing  of  the  musketry  incessant.  Cannister  shot, 
grenades,  and  howitzers,  for  some  time  checked  the  im- 
petuosity of  the  French.  Rollers  from  the  top  of  the  para- 
pet were  thrown  down  with  precipitancy  upon  the  assailants, 
and  crushed  many  to  death  on  the  spot ; the  chief  of  brigade 
himself  was  mortally  wounded  in  this  manner.  In  this 
situation  a retreat  was  thought  advisable  : it  was  effected 
without  confusion,  but  the  French  had  to  regret  the  loss  of 
a number  of  intrepid  soldiers,  killed  or  badly  wounded. 

Buonaparte  arrived  on  the  31st  of  May  at  the  bank  of  the 
Tessino,  on  his  way  to  the  capture  of  Milan,  and  made  a 
very  military  shew  of  cavalry,  with  which,  and  some  pieces 
of  cannon,  he  reached  the  opposite  side  on  the  same  eve- 
ning. Some  of  the  villagers  had  brought  a few  boats  by  this 
time,  and  the  troops  passed  over  in  great  numbers.  General 
Mounier  possessed  himself  of  an  advantageous  position  along 
the  Grand  Naviglio  ; and  the  enemy  fell  back  on  the  village 
of  Turbigo.  The  cavalry  was  disposed  of  in  a manner  to 
harass  the  Austrians  from  the  lake  of  Como  to  Vegevano. 

The  magistracy  of  Milan  waited  upon  the  consul  with  the 
keys,  and  the  most  respectable  people  ofthe  city,  accompanied 
by  a brilliant  and  elegant  assemblage  of  ladies,  attended  to  | 
greet  him  on  his  arrival,  whilst  the  populace  followed,  and 
all  joined  in  the  enthusiastic  cry  of  Vive  Buonaparte  ! vivent 
les  Francoise  ! The  nearer  they  approached  to  the  town  the 
greater  was  the  crowd.  At  length  they  arrived  within  the 
gates  of  this  distinguished  capital  of  the  Milanese.  The 
windows  lined  with  beautiful  Italian  women,  the  rich  shops 
suffered  to  remain  open,  testified,  in  the  strongest  manner, 
how  great  was  the  confidence  of  the  people  in  the  French 
army  : in  fact,  the  Italians  were  very  numerous  who  favour- 
ed the  French  ; and  the  Austrians  and  Russians  rendered 
themselves  particularly  odious  in  this  city,  by  the  severities 
they  had  inflicted  for  political  opinions. 

The  pride  of  the  conquerors  was  highly  gratified  by  the 
fine  coup  d’ceil , presented  to  them  the  moment  they  had 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


319 


reached  the  place  du  Dome  ; and  here  the  hero  who  had 
led  them  on  enjoyed  the  sublime  trait  which  the  gratitude 
of  a numerous  people  exhibited.  The  vast  space  was  made 
to  ring  w'ith  the  reiterated  shouts  of  Vive  general  Buona- 
parte ! vive  Varmee  Francoise  ! These  acclamations  pene- 
trated their  very  souls  and  inspired  them  with  new  courage. 


CHAPTER  XX. 

Time  had  flown  so  rapidly  before  the  tardy  steps  of  Me- 
las,  that  he  saw  the  absolute  necessity  of  catching  what  re- 
mained : and  now  every  division  of  his  army  was  advancing 
to  the  seat  of  action,  to  secure  the  strong  fortresses  that 
were  not  yet  surrendered.  The  Austrian  head-quarters 
were  removed  to  Alexandria,  and  the  commandant  of  Tu- 
rin was  ordered  to  commence  offensive  war,  by  attacking 
general  Turreau  at  Suza. 

This  injudicious  attempt,  even  if  it  had  succeeded,  would 
but  slightly  have  weakened  in  the  west  an  enemy  whose 
strength  lay  in  the  east ; but  general  Kaim  was  repulsed, 
with  loss,  and  the  French  general  took  up  a position  of  ob- 
servation nearer  to  Turin. 

The  day  after  the  battle  of  Montebello  the  French  head- 
quarters were  removed  to  Voghera,  through  which  the  ar- 
my marched  on  its  way  to  Tortona.  The  French,  on  pass- 
ing under  the  window  at  which  was  the  consul,  saw  gen- 
eral Desaix  (now  appointed  to  a division)  and  an  emigrant 
officer,  who  had  come  to  parley  with  him : upon  this 
they  endeavoured  to  shew  in  their  countenances  and  their 
gestures  the  joy,  or,  rather,  the  jierte , which  reigned  in 
their  hearts.  The  cries  of  Vive  Buonaparte  ! with  music 
playing  the  burlesque  air  answering  to  the  words  JVous  lui 
percerons  le  jlanc , was  seen  to  darken  the  aspect  of  the  offi- 
cer. How  had  a few  days  changed  the  fortune  of  all  who 
depended  upon  the  cause  of  the  allies  ! what  wonders  had 
the  firmness  of  an  individual  effected  ! 

To  take  Milan — to  operate  a junction  with  general  Moun- 
cey — to  cut  off  the  rear  of  the  enemy  at  Brescia,  Oric,  No- 
vi, Marcaria,  and  Plancentia* — to  take  their  magazines, 
possess  themselves  of  their  depots,  their  sick,  and  their 


320 


THE  LIFE  OF 


parks  of  guns,  were  the  orders  given  to  the  different  par- 
ties for  their  movements : while  the  main  army  had  to  watch 
that  of  the  enemy — to  beat  up  the  Po,  and  effect  the  pas- 
sage of  that  river  before  Stradella  : the  activity  of  all  these 
movements  gave  to  the  French  army  what  may  be  properly 
considered  the  initiative , which  the  genius  of  Buonaparte 
knew  how  to  profit  by. 

The  blockade  of  Tortona  was  to  be  the  next  enterprise 
the  army  came  to  its  position  before  that  place  in  columns, 
by  divisions  ; the  advanced  guard  quietly  surrounded  the 
town,  and  the  day  passed  without  any  remarkable  occur- 
rence. 

If  the  Austrian  commander  had  any  doubts  on  his  mind 
as  to  the  line  of  conduct  the  most  proper  for  him  to  pursue, 
this  was  the  moment  for  him  to  determine.  The  posses- 
sion of  Genoa  had  so  far  altered  his  situation,  that  he  had 
his  choice  either  to  fight  or  to  shut  himself  up  in  the  garri- 
sons he  yet  held  ; and  this  decision  ought  to  have  been 
guided  by  the  joint  considerations  of  the  proportion  that 
his  means  bore  to  those  of  the  enemy,  and  the  probability 
there  was  that  the  court  of  Vienna  would  be  able  to  send  a 
new  army  and  new  supplies  to  his  assistance.  If  his  army 
was  equal  to  that  of  Buonaparte,  not  a doubt  could  be  en- 
tertained as  to  the  propriety  of  hazarding  a battle  ; but  it 
would  have  been  imprudent  to  face  an  enemy  with  an  infe- 
rior force,  because  that  enemy  must  of  necessity  have  weak- 
ened his  power  by  extending  his  operations  ; and  it  would 
have  been  advisable  to  have  taken  the  chance  of  receiving 
supplies  in  preference  to  losing  all  by  a single  defeat. 

It  should  not  be  forgotten,  that  at  the  time  the  battle  of 
Montebello  was  fought,  the  Austrians  were  yet  in  possession 
of  the  strong  fortresses  of  Turin , Alexandria , Tortona , Ge- 
noa, Savona,  Coni,  Ceva,  Alba,  Asti,  Verua , Casale , and 
Valenza;  besides  the  whole  of  the  dutchiesof  Mantua  and 
Tuscany.  Those  fortresses  might  have  been  garrisoned  and 
have  defended  themselves  at  least  as  long  as  they  had  been 
defended  by  the  French  upon  former  occasions ; and  Genoa, 
with  all  its  advantages,  had  now  the  superior  advantage  of 
an  English  fieet  to  keep  it  open  and  furnish  it  with  supplies. 
Could  the  French  leave  troops  enough  behind  to  set  down  1 
before  so  many  places,  and  yet  have  an  army  sufficiently  I 
numerous  to  keep  the  field  ? suppose  even  that  they  could,  I 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


321 


and  that  they  were  so  fortunate  as  to  take  the  whole  of 
those  places,  with  the  exception  of  Genoa  ; would  Melas 
in  that  city  have  been  situated  worse  than  Massena  had  been 
before  ? and,  being  in  possession  of  this  port,  could  not 
the  court  of  Vienna,  with  the  assistance  of  its  allies,  have 

■einforcements  with 
ite  transported  them 
by  the  Alps  and  Glaciers  of  Piedmont  and  Switzerland  ? 
It  is  the  opinion  of  the  French  officers,  that  the  Austrians 
did  not  trouble  themselves  with  these  inquiries.  The  wri- 
ter of  the  dispatches  to  Paris  says,  that  “ they  appeared  to 
have  no  settled  plan  and  to  fluctuate  in  all  their  move- 
ments.” They  were  busy  without  doing  business,  and 
the  consul  took  advantage  of  their  confusion. 

The  French  seem  to  have  fought  for  Genoa  from  a sense 
of  its  value,  the  allies  from  the  childish  motive  of  gaining  a 
temporary  triumph. 

It  ought  not  to  have  escaped  general  Melas,  that,  if  the 
worst  possible  misfortune  could  happen  to  him — that  he 
should  lose  every  fortress  without  receiving  any  kind  of 
supply,  and,  at  last,  receive  orders  to  evacuate  all  Italy  : 
so  long  as  be  possessed  Genoa  its  port  would  afford  his 
army  a retreat ; and  to  keep  open  a communication  with 
that  city,  as  well  as  to  secure  a retreat  to  it,  at  any  price, 
ought  to  have  been  his  first  and  principal  concern.  Buo- 
naparte knew  what  ought  to  be  done,  and  he  hastened  to 
benefit  by  the  neglect  : he  ordered  the  division  of  general 
Chabran  to  guard  the  banks  of  the  Po  opposite  Valenza, 
for  fear  Melas  should  attempt  to  escape  that  way,  and  sent 
general  Gardanne  forward  to  the  Bormida,  to  get  possession 
af  the  passes  between  Piedmont  and  Genoa,  whilst  the  ar- 
my marched  from  the  camp  before  Tortona  to  cross  the 
Scrivia. 

To  the  southward  Massena  and  Suchet  were  advancing 
•apidly  to  harass  the  Austrian  rear. 

The  whole  army  passed  the  night  at  San  Juliano,  a ham- 
et  of  three  farms,  a league  from  Tortona,  and  situated  at 
he  entrance  of  the  plains  of  Marengo.  The  consul,  and 
he  thousand  men  of  his  guard,  the  staff  of  the  army,  and 
ts  enormous  suite,  were  all  heaped  together  at  this  place. 

The  morning  of  June  14th  commenced,  and  some  dis- 
harges  of  cannon,  by  the  advanced  guard,  soon  drove  away 

41 


kept  Savona  also,  and  have  poured  in  i 
less  difficulty  than  the  French  could  hm 


322 


THE  LIFE  OF 


th  ir  sleep  : all  was  in  readiness  presently,  and  their  break 
fast  was  concluded  as  speedily  as  had  been  their  supper  the 
over  night.  The  division  of  Gardanne  had  been  attack- 
ed at  seven  ; at  eight  o’clock  the  enemy  had  manifest- 
ed much  vigour  of  preparation:  he  touched  upon  a few 
W<  ak  points  and  made  certain  dispositions  in  consequence  ; 
but  his  intentions  were  not  fully  known  at  head-quarters  till 
towards  the  latter  part  of  the  morning.  Berthier  was  the 
first  upon  the  field  of  battle.  Till  this  time  the  various 
aids-rle  camp  had  relieved  each  other  in  apprising  the  con- 
sul of  the  enemy’s  st‘  ps  : numerous  wounded  soldiers  ar- 
riving left  no  doubt  that  the  Austrians  were  in  force. 

The  troops  under  the  command  of  general  Victor  were 
immediately  drawn  up  in  order  of  battle  : the  one  part  form- 
ed the  centre,  which  occupied  the  village  of  Marengo ; 
the  other  formed  the  left  wing,  which  extended  as  far  as  the 
Bormida  ; the  corps  of  general  Lasnes  formed  the  right 
wing.  The  French  army  formed  in  two  lines  and  had  its 
wings  supported  by  strong  bodies  of  cavalry. 

The  Austrians  displayed  themselves  successively,  and 
debouched  in  three  columns  ; that  of  the  right  by  Figarolo ; 
that  of  the  centre  by  the  great  road  to  Marengo  ; and  that 
of  the  left  by  Castel  Ceriolo. 

The  Austrian  left  wing  evinced  a design  to  ascend  the 
Bormida,  and  general  Berthier  received  intelligence  that 
the  French  right,  under  Victor,  was  attacked  with  great fu 
ry  ; by  this  deveiopement  of  his  forces  the  design  of  Me- 
las  was  fully  comprehended. 

Upon  receiving  these  tidings  the  consul  mounted  his  fa 
vourite  charger  at  eleven  o’clock,  and  made  great  haste  tc 
the  field  of  battle ; general  Desaix,  who  had  been  ordered  t( 
Seravalla,  Was  instantly  recalled,  and  his  division,  with  th< 
reserved  cavalry,  directed  to  support  general  Victor.  Both 
cannon  and  musketry,  on  certain  points  began  to  be  heart 
and  to  approach  nearer  and  nearer  ; many  both  of  cavalr; 
and  infantry,  retired  into  the  rear,  wounded  by  the  fire  o 
the  onset.  The  Austrian  line  was  extended  to  the  spaced 
two  leagues  : for  it  is  necessary  to  remark,  that  the  Bormi 
da,  although  generally  rapid  and  deep,  was,  nevertheless,  ford 
able  at  several  places.  The  Austrians  were  particular! 
tenacious  of  their  position  near  the  bridge,  but  the  pnne 
pal  point  of  action  was  at  St.  Stefano  : from  this  point  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


323 


could  gain  Voghera  before  the  French  could,  and  thereby 
cut  off  their  retreat ; they,  therefore,  incessantly  directed 
their  attention  to  this  weak  point.  By  twelve  o’clock  the 
French  were  well  convinced  that  the  whole  Austrian 
force  was  on  the  field,  and  that  they  now,  in  good  earnest, 
accepted  the  challenge  which  they  had  declined  the  day  be- 
fore. 

Orders  were  given  to  the  disposable  troops  in  the  rear  to 
come  forward,  but  the  corps  under  the  command  of  Desaix 
was  still  at  a considerable  distance.  The  left  wing,  under 
the  orders  of  Victor,  began  to  give  way,  and  several  corps 
of  infantry  retired  in  disorder,  whilst  whole  platoons  of  cav- 
alry pushed  back.  The  firing  drew  nearer  ; in  the  centre 
a dreadful  discharge  was  heard  on  the  Bormida,  which  ceas- 
ed all  at  once.  “ I,”  says  Monsieur  Petit,  “ was  in  an 
inexpressible  anxiety,  yet  still  I ventured  to  flatter  myself 
that  our  troops  advanced  ; on  the  contrary,  however,  I saw 
them,  in  a few  minutes  after,  returning  with  but  too  much 
haste,  carrying  the  wounds  d on  their  shoulders  : on  the  part 
of  the  right  wing,  also,  I saw,  with  concern,  that  the  ene- 
my gained  insensibly  upon  us.” 

Buonaparte  advanced  in  front,  and  exhorted  to  courage 
and  firmness  all  the  corps  he  met  with  : it  was  visible  that 
his  presence  reanimated  them.  Several  soldiers  were  ob- 
served to  prefer  absolute  death,  in  sustaining  the  retreat,  to 
the  displeasure  they  might  give  him  in  being  a witness  of 
their  flight.  From  this  moment  his  horse-guards  no  long- 
er continued,  as  before,  near  his  person  ; but,  without  be- 
ing at  any  great  distance  from  him,  took  an  active  part  in 
the  battle. 

A cloud  of  Austrian  cavalry  debouched  rapidly  in  the 
plain  and  formed  themselves  in  battle  array,  masking  an  im- 
mense train  of  light  artillery,  which  instantly  began  to  has- 
ten the  destruction  of  the  French  ranks.  General  Berthier, 
who,  at  no  great  distance,  had  his  eye  upon  the  movement 
of  this  column,  was  briskly  charged  by  a part  of  it,  and 
was  forced  to  retire  upon  the  horse  grenadiers  of  the  con- 
sular guard.  Murat,  at  the  head  of  the  dragoons,  took  the 
Austrians  in  flank,  protecting  the  retreat  of  the  infantry  and 
preserving  the  right  flank  of  Victor. 

F or  two  hours  general  Gardanne  sustained  the  attack  of 
the  right  and  centre  of  the  enemy  without  losing  an  inch  of 


324 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ground,  notwithstanding  his  inferiority  in  artillery  : both 
sides  fought  with  equal  obstinacy. 

The  foot  grenadiers  of  the  consular  guard  now  came  up, 
and  forming  in  the  most  orderly  manner,  in  subdivisions, 
advanced  against  the  enemy  : without  artillery,  without  cav- 
alry, to  the  number  of  five  hundred  only,  they  had  to  en- 
dure the  brunt  of  a victorious  army  ! But,  not  consider- 
ing the  smallness  of  their  numbers,  they  kept  advancing 
and  forced  every  thing  to  give  way.  in  their  passage  : the 
lofty  eagle  hovered  every  where  around  them  and  threaten- 
ed to  tear  them  in  pieces.  The  very  first  bullet  which 
struck  them  laid  three  grenadiers  and  a fourrier  dead  on  the 
ground,  being  in  close  order.  Charged  three  times  by  the 
cavalry,  fusilladed  by  the  infantry,  within  fifty  paces,  they 
surrounded  their  colours  and  their  wounded,  and,  in  a hol- 
low square,  exhausted  all  their  rounds  of  cartridges,  and 
then,  with  slow  and  regular  steps,  fell  back  and  joined  the 
rear  guard  ! 

Notwithstanding  many  similar  traits  of  courage  the  army 
fought  retreating  in  all  parts  : the  centre  gave  way,  and  the 
Austrians  outstretched  the  French  and  turned  the  right  wing. 
General  Gardanne,  obliged  to  quit  his  position  in  the  ad- 
vanced guard,  retreated  gradually  and  took  an  oblique  posi- 
tion. At  the  same  moment  the  garrison  of  Tortona,  dis- 
covering the  almost  routed  condition  of  Victor,  made  a sor- 
tie and  thus  the  French  were  surrounded  on  every  part. 

The  consul,  who  was  all  the  while  in  the  centre,  encour- 
aged the  remains  of  the  gallant  corps  which  defended  the 
road  and  the  defile  which  it  crossed,  shut  up  on  one  side  by 
a wood  and  on  the  other  by  some  bushy  vineyards  of  lofty  ji 
growth  : the  village  of  Marengo  flanked  this  cruelly  mem- 
orable spot  to  the  left. 

What  torrents  of  blood  were  shed  in  that  place  ! — what 
numbers  of  brave  men  perished  there  ! An  invincible 
courage  had,  unceasingly,  to  struggle  against  numbers  of 
the  obstinate  foe,  perpetually  increasing. 

The  French  artillery,  in  part  dismounted  or  taken,  had 
but  little  ammunition.  Thirty  pieces  of  cannon,  actively 
served  by  the  enemy,  cut  in  two  both  men  and  trees,  the 
branches  of  which,  in  their  fall,  crushed  to  death  those  who 
were  before  wounded,  and  who  had  sought  an  insecure 
refuge  under  them. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


325 


In  this  awful  moment,  when  the  dead  and  the  dying  cov- 
ered almost  the  whole  field,  the  consul  seemed  to  brave 
death  and  to  be  near  it ; for  the  bullets  were  seen  more  than 
once,  to  drive  up  the  ground  between  his  horse’s  legs.  In 
the  midst  of  warriors,  who  fell  on  every  side  of  him,  he  was 
observed  to  be  giving  his  orders  with  his  accustomed  cool- 
ness, he  saw  the  approaching  tempest  without  testifying  any 
fear  of  it ! All  those  who  perceived  him,  forgetting  the 
perils  which  they  had  to  encounter,  exclaimed  : “ If  he 
should  be  killed  ! why  does  he  not  retire  ?”  It  is  said,  too, 
that  Berthier  addressed  him  to  the  same  effect.  The  most 
courageous  man,  the  man  loving  glory  as  he  does,  might 
very  well  be  moved  without  any  imputation  of  a crime  : 
but  no,  the  Buonaparte  of  Areola  discovered  no  change  in 

(those  moments  of  doubtful  fortune. 

Part  of  the  ill  success  of  the  French  was  to  be  attributed 
to  the  desertion  of  a general,  who,  without  authority,  had 
quitted  the  command  of  his  brigade  when  general  Victor 
sent  orders  to  him  to  ascend  the  Bormida  and  observe  the 
1 right  of  the  Austrians. 

The  village  of  Marengo,  exposed  by  the  retreat  of  Gar- 
| danne,  seemed  to  be  the  prize  for  which  both  armies  were 
, fighting.  General  Victor,  stationed  successively  the  24th 
light,  the  43d,  and  96th  of  the  line,  to  defend  it ; whilst  gen- 
eral Gardanne,  in  his  new  position,  took  in  flank  the  corps 
inarching  to  attack  it.  The  Austrian  ranks,  swept  down 
by  a terrible  fire,  for  a moment  gave  way,  but  encouraged 
by  new  reinforcements,  continued  their  march. 

While  these  movements  were  going  on,  the  brigade  under 
the  command  of  general  Kellerman,  the  younger,  support- 
ed the  left ; the  3th  dragoons  charged  and  routed  a column 
of  the  Austrian  cavalry,  but  it  was  charged  in  its  turn  by 
superior  forces,  and  was  upon  the  point  of  giving  way, 
when  the  2d  and  10th  cavalry  came  to  its  assistance,  and 
took  100  prisoners. 

The  left  of  the  enemy  advanced  towards  Castel  Ceriolo, 
whilst  their  centre,  always  receiving  new  reinforcements, 
succeeded  in  carrying  Marengo,  where  they  made  400  men 
prisoners,  who  had  shut  themselves  up  in  a house.  At 
this  time,  some  of  the  French  sharp  shooters,  who  had  ex- 
pended all  their  cartridges,  quitting  the  field  in  disorder,  the 
Austrians  were  encouraged  to  return  to  the  charge,  with 


326 


THE  LIFE  OF 


additional  impetuosity ; general  Lasnes  charged  them  with 
success.  The  line  uncovered  in  the  plain,  resisted  the  ar- 
tillery and  supported  the  charge  of  the  Austrian  cavalry,  but 
durst  not  attempt  to  pursue  them  for  fear  of  being  turn- 
ed. On  the  left,  general  Victor  ordered  a retrograde  move- 
ment, and  general  Lasnes  then  found  himself  attacked  by 
forces  infinitely  superior,  and  was  obliged  to  follow  the 
same  course. 

The  consul,  acquainted  that  the  reserve  of  general  De- 
saix  had  not  yet  arrived,  hastened  to  the  division  of  general 
Lasnes,  to  slacken  its  retreat : “ My  lads,”  said  he,  “ it  is 
my  practice  to  sleep  on  the  field  of  battle.”  Nevertheless, 
the  enemy  advanced  : the  consul  wished  to  charge  them  in 
the  rear,  at  the  head  of  the  72d  demi- brigade,  and  ordered 
several  movements  with  that  view,  which  served  to  gain 
some  time.  The  retreat  was,  however,  absolutely  neces- 
sary, and  it  was  effected  in  good  order,  though  under  a fire 
of  80  pieces  of  cannon,  which  preceded  the  march  of  the 
Austrian  columns. 

The  galling  fire  of  the  enemy  did  not  shake  the  firmness 
of  the  French  battalions ; they  drew  close  ranks,  and  ma- 
noeuvred with  the  same  precision  as  if  they  had  been  on 
the  parade.  At  this  moment  general  Berthier  sent  two 
demi  brigades  to  Castel  Ceriolo,  to  charge  the  battalions 
that  supported  the  Austrian  cavalry,  the  centre  and  left 
continuing  to  retrograde. 

In  short,  at  four  o’clock  in  the  afternoon,  in  a line  of  five 
miles  or  more,  there  did  not  stand  six  thousand  infantry  to 
their  colours,  and  only  six  pieces  of  cannon  could  be  made 
any  use  of!  Let  not  the  writer  be  accused  of  exaggeration, 
in  painting  this  prodigious  falling  off,  the  causes  of  which  are 
very  well  known.  A third  of  the  army  was  actually  put 
hors  de  combat:  the  deficiency  of  carriages  for  removing  the 
sick  and  wounded  occasioned  the  necessity  for  more  than 
another  third  to  be  occupied  in  this  painful  service  : not  to 
speak  of  the  plausible  pretext  this  circumstance  afforded  to 
certain  individuals  (of  which  an  army  always  contains  more 
or  less)  to  absent  themselves  at  so  unseasonable  a conjunc- 
ture from  their  respective  corps.  Hunger,  thirst,  and  fa- 
tigue, had  imperiously  forced  a great  number  of  officers  to 
withdraw  also;  and  every  one  knows  what  effect  the  ab» 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  327 

sence  of  officers  occasions.  The  Tirailleur s also  had,  for 
the  most  part,  lost  the  direction  of  their  corps. 

Any  one,  who,  in  those  circumstances,  so  terrible  and 
so  discounging  to  the  French  army,  might  have  attempted 
j to  persuade  them,  that  in  two  hours  from  that  time,  they 
should  gain  the  battle,  take  7,000  prisoners,  many  general 
officers,  12  stands  of  colours,  26  pieces  of  artillery  ; have 
eleven  strong  places,  in  fact,  all  the  finest  part  of  Italy,  de- 
livered into  their  hands  by  the  enemy  ; that,  in  two  days, 
that  enemy  wouid,  in  an  humiliated  condition,  file  off 
through  their  ranks ; that  an  armistice  would  suspend  the 
scourge  of  war  ; such  a man  would  have  appeared,  by  such 
silly  hopes  and  predictions,  as  if  only  desirous  to  insult  their 
desperate  condition.  How,  then,  were  such  wonders 
brought  about ? we  must  follow  the  course  of  our  narrative. 

The  enemy,  not  being  able  to  force  the  defile,  upon  which 
the  greatest  part  of  the  troops  had  doubled,  began  to  re- 
establish a most  formidable  line  of  artillery,  under  protec- 
tion of  which  they  threw  their  infantry  into  the  vineyards 
and  into  the  woods.  The  cavalry,  drawn  up  in  the  rear,  only- 
waited  the  moment  of  the  French  being  driven  out  to  fall 
upon  their  dispersed  ranks  and  hew  them  to  pieces.  Had 
this  last  event  happened,  all  had  been  lost  irretrievably,  the 
consul  must  have  been  taken  or  killed,  and  his  soldiers  too 
much  dispirited  to  have  recovered.  But  victory  was  not 
far  distant ; faithful  to  Buonaparte,  she  came,  at  length,  to 
fight  with  him,  and  to  be  his  guide. 

Already  had  the  divisions  of  Mounier  and  Desaix  begun 
1 to  shew  themselves  ; notwithstanding  a forced  march  often 
leagues  they  arrived  on  a full  gallop  ; they  forgot  their 
wants,  and  only  thirsted  to  avenge  their  fallen  comrades. 
The  crowd  of  wounded  and  runaways  might  well  enough 
have  damped  their  courage  ; but  with  eyes  fixed  on  De- 
saix, they  only  thought  of  sharing  his  dangers,  and  flying  to 
; glory.  Alas ! they  were  far  fi'om  thinking,  that,  in.  an 
hour  they  would  cease  to  be  commanded  by  this  brave 
I general.  The  foot  grenadiers  appeared  again,  covered  with 
renown,  and  menacing,  with  their  terrible  bayonets,  those 
who,  a short  time  passed,  had  bargained  for  their  caps  be- 
fore hand.  The  soldiers  of  the  legions  of  Bussy,  had  col- 
j lected  the  caps  of  the. grenadiers  killed  or  wounded,  and 
ri 


328 


THE  LIFE  OF 


exhibited  them  to  the  French  line,  by  twirling  them  round 
on  their  sabres. 

The  village  of  Castel  Ceriolo  was  carried  by  the  two  de- 
mi-brigades  of  Mounier’s  division,  who  held  a large  body 
of  the  Austrian  cavalry  in  check.  The  reserve,  under  gen- 
eral Desaix,  formed  in  two  lines  in  the  plain  of  St.  Juliano, 
flanked  on  the  right  by  12  pieces  of  artillery,  commanded 
by  general  Marmont,  and  supported  on  the  left  by  the  cav- 
alry, under  the  command  of  general  Kellerman.  The  ar- 
my rallied  at  St.  Juliano. 

General  Melas  here  committed  a great  fault,  in  changing 
that  disposition  of  his  forces  which  had  procured  him  so 
much  success.  Finding  too  many  obstacles  in  the  centre, 
he  thought,  that,  by  extending  his  wings,  he  might  sur- 
round the  enemy,  and  thereby  entirely  cut  him  off : he, 
therefore,  directed  great  part  of  his  force  to  these  points, 
imagining  he  had  sufficiently  concealed  his  movements. 
Thus,  not  being  able  to  discover  what  passed  in  the  French 
army,  and  ignorant  of  those  reinforcements  which  had  just 
arrived,  he  laid  the  foundation  of  his  own  disaster.  In  fact, 
Buonaparte,  (always  placed  in  the  post  of  honour,  and 
whose  perspicacious  eye  nothing  escaped,)  seized  this  fa- 
vourable opportunity : his  orders  flew  every  where  in  a mo- 
ment. 

As  soon  as  the  first  battalion  of  the  division  of  Desaix 
had  reached  the  heights,  that  general  formed  it  in  close  col- 
umn. Every  one  kept  his  prescribed  distance  ; each  re- 
ceived particular  instructions.  The  consul,  the  general  in 
chief,  (Berthier,)  the  generals,  the  officers  of  the  staff,  ran 
through  the  ranks,  and  every  where  inspired  that  confidence 
which  precedes  and  creates  great  successes.  This  work 
took  up  an  hour,  which  was  a terrible  one  to  pass,  for  the 
Austrian  artillery  was  bearing  cruelly  upon  the  French 
ranks.  Their  ricochet  bullets  carried  away  with  them  both 
men  and  horses  ; the  French  received  death  amidst  them  in 
this  manner  without  moving  a step,  except  to  close  their 
ranks  over  the  dead  bodies  of  their  comrades  ! This  thun- 
dering artillery  reached  even  the  cavalry,  who  rallied  in  the 
rear,  as  well  as  a great  number  of  foot  soldiers  of  different 
corps,  who,  encouraged  by  Desaix’s  division,  which  they 
had  seen  pass,  ran  anew  to  the  field  of  honour.  What  was 
now  to  happen  had  been  foreseen — was  calculated  upon ; the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


329 


battalions  burnt  with  impatience  ; the  drummer’s  eye,  fix- 
ed upon  the  drum-major’s  cane,  waited  for  the  signal : the 
trumpeter,  with  his  arm  raised  up,  prepared  his  breath  !— 
The  signal  was  given,  the  terrible  pas  de  charge  was  heard  ! 
General  Desaix  at  the  head  of  the  brave  9th  light,  threw 
himself  with  impetuosity  into  the  midst  of  the  Austrian 
battalions,  and  charged  them  with  the  bayonet.  The  di- 
vision of  Boudet  followed  the  same  moment  on  the  right. 
All  the  corps  were  put  in  motion  at  once  in  two  lines  ; the 
tremendous  fire  of  the  French,  like  a torrent,  carried  every 
thing  away  that  opposed  its  passage  ; in  a few  minutes  the 
defile  was  freed  from  the  enemy,  who  were  every  where 
thrown  down  ; the  dying,  the  living,  the  dead,  and  the 
wounded,  were  all  trodden  under  foot. 

Every  chief  of  a battalion,  as  he  reached  the  back  of  the 
defile,  drew  up  his  corps  in  order  of  battle,  and  now  the 
; French  line  presented  a formidable  front.  As  fast  as  the 
pieces  of  cannon  could  be  brought  up,  they  were  employ- 
ed in  battery,  and  made  great  havoc,  by  their  point-blank 
shot,  among  the  affrighted  Austrians.  These  fell  back  in 
their  turn,  and  their  immense  cavalry  charged  in  a body  with 
fury  ; but  the  bayonet  stopped  the  infantry  suddenly,  and 
one  of  their  powder  waggons  blowing  up,  their  alarm  re- 
doubled: the  rising  disorder  being  hidden  in  the  smoke, 
the  exclamations  of  the  conquerors  added  to  the  terror  of 
the  vanquished  ; in  short,  all,  in  a fright,  gave  way,  and 
fled. 

The  French  cavalry  then  rushed  into  the  plain,  and  by  its 
daring  conduct  concealed  its  smallness  of  numbers.  It  ad- 
vanced towards  the  enemy  without  the  least  fear  of  being 
broken  into.  On  the  right,  Desaix  cleared  hedges  and 
ditches,  threw  down  and  trampled  upon  every  thing  that 
opposed  him.  To  the  left,  Victor,  his  rival  in  swiftness, 

? carried  Marengo,  and  flew  towards  the  Bormida. 

The  centre  with  less  force,  and  the  cavalry,  under  the 
f orders  of  Murat,  advanced  majestically  into  the  plain,  ai- 
ways  within  half- cannon’s  length.  Murat  greatly  annoyed 

the  Austrian  centre,  and  by  watching  and  following  its 
movements,  kept  an  enormous  body  of  cavalry  in  check, 
which  could  only  manoeuvre  under  the  fire  of  three  eignt- 
1 plunders  and  a .howitzer.  The  French  infantry  was  ready 
to  turn  them,  having  a shorter  space  to  run  over,  in  order  to 


THE  LIFE  OF 


330 


reach  the  bridge,  and  thus  cut  off  the  principal  point  of 
their  retreat.  The  intrepid  Desaix,  having  obliqued  to  the 
right  upon  San  Stefano,  cut  off  the  Austrian’s  left  wing  en- 
tirely ; and,  in  the  very  moment  of  his  triumph,  after  hav- 
ing saved  the  army,  and,  perhaps,  his  country  ; the  friend 
and  the  model  of  brave  men,  Desaix,  received  a mortal 
wound,  from  a bullet,  in  the  head  ! When  tidings  of  his 
death  were  carried  to  the  consul,  in  the  heat  of  the  battle, 
he  exclaims,  “ Why  have  I not  time  to  weep  !”  The 
death  of  this  officer,  who  was  universally  beloved,  inspired 
the  army  with  new  ardour.  To  avenge  his  death,  they  fell 
on  the  second  line  of  Austrian  infantry,  which  met  them 
with  courageous  firmness,  and  another  terrible  onset  hung 
the  victory  again  in  long  suspense  ; the  fury  of  the  French 
bayonets  was  met  by  the  Austrian  battalions.  The  young- 
er Kellerman,  with  800  horse,  collected  from  various  reg- 
iments, made  6,000  Hungarian  grenadiers  and  others,  be- 
sides generals  Zach,  St.  Julian,  and  the  officers  of  the  staff, 
prisoners. 

Night  was  coming  on  ; the  troops  of  the  Austrians  in 
disorder  ; cavalry,  infantry,  artillery,  were  heaped  one  upon 
another  towards  the  centre  : in  the  throng  many  of  their 
own  men  were  thrown  off  the  bridge  into  the  river.  The 
artillery,  which  they  had  drawn  back  at  the  commencement 
of  their  retreat,  for  fear  that,  by  its  being  taken,  it  might  be 
turned  against  them,  was,  in  the  present  circumstances,  of 
more  injury  than  use  to  them,  as  it  intercepted  their  passage. 
Murat,  seeing  the  importance  of  precipitating  their  re- 
treat, and  increasing  their  confusion,  made  the  French  cav- 
alry advance  on  a full  trot ; and  general  Lasnes,  who,  at  the 
head  of  the  grenadiers  of  the  consular  guard  and  the  divis- 
ion of  Boudet  marched  against  this  line,  supported  by  the; 
artillery  under  Marmont,  in  a short  time  got  before  a part 
of  the  flying  infantry,  which  had  no  resource  but  to  be 
made  prisoners  or  to  be  cut  to  pieces.  The  horse  grena- 
diers, and  the  chasseurs  of  the  consular  guard,  kept  the j 
right  of  the  road,  to  the  number  of  200  ; four  or  five  hun- 
dred men  of  the  1st,  6th,  8th  dragoons,  and  20th  of  cavalry  J 
occupied  the  left : Murat  flew  from  one  side  to  the  other.' 
The  decisive  moment  was  come  : the  chief  of  brigade, 
Bessieres,  filled  with  the  same  ardour  which  inspired  the' 
army  and  excited  a desire  in  each  corps  to  distinguish 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


331 


itself,  gave  orders  for  the  trumpet  to  sound  a charge,  that 
they  might  fall  upon  the  enemy’s  infantry,  already  out  of 
breath. 

The  third  line  of  Austrian  cavalry,  resolving  to  save  the 
infantry,  came  up  in  column,  and  their  rapid  pace  obliged 
the  French  to  give  loose  to  their  reins ; but  they,  at  the 
same  time  inclined  to  the  left,  by  obliquing  on  them.  At 
the  distance  of  about  thirty  paces  was  a ditch,  which  again 
separated  the  furious  combatants:  the  French  crossed  the 
ditch,  sword  in  hand,  and  surrounded  the  two  first  platoons 
in  five  minutes.  The  Austrians  but  ill  defended  them- 
selves, and  were,  therefore,  cut  down  or  thrown  into  dis- 
order. The  French,  at  first,  made  no  prisoners,  but  the 
dragoons  took  the  same  column  in  flank,  and  added  to  the 
general  carnage.  The  pursuit  was  continued  as  far  as  the 
ravine,  where  they  made  a great  many  prisoners.  The  pur- 
suit continued  till  the  Austrian  rear- guard  was  cut  to  pieces 
and  till  their  whole  force  had  arrived  at  the  bridge  of  the 
Bormida  : at  length  the  paucity  of  numbers,  the  unfavoura- 
bleness of  the  ground,  the  night  setting  in,  and  the  ex- 
treme fatigue  of  the  horses,  induced  the  prudent  Murat  to 
think  it  would  not  be  proper  to  expose  his  troops  further,  to 
increase  the  fruits  of  so  successful  a day’s  work. 

General  Berthier  says,  it  was  night  alone  that  saved  the 
Austrian  army ; it  may  be  so,  but  it  is  possible  that  the 
Austrians  could  have  borne  a few  hours  more  of  hunger  and 
fatigue  as  well  as  the  French.  The  two  armies  had,  how- 
ever, been  fourteen  hours  within  musket- shot  of  each  other, 
and  doubtless,  both  of  them  wanted  repose.  Victory  flad 
inclined  to  each  side  four  times  during  the  day,  and  60 
pieces  of  cannon  had  been,  alternately,  vyon  and  lost.  At 
the  close  of  the  battle,  the  French  had  taken  12  standards, 
26  pieces  of  cannon,  and  7,000  prisoners : the  Austrians 
had  lost  seven  of  their  generals,  400  officers,  with  8,000 
men  killed  or  wounded.  The  French  lost  the  general  De- 
saix,  and  the  brother  of  general  VVatrin,  killed,  four  gene- 
rals of  brigade  wounded,  near  800  men  killed,  2,000 
wounded,  and  1,100  taken  prisoners;  generals  Chamberlin 
and  Marmont,  were  wounded. 

Thus  ended  this  memorable  day.  The  darkness  deprived 
both  sides  of  the  means  of  succouring  all  the  wounded  ; a 
great  number  were  left  upon  the  field  of  battle.  The  Aus- 


332 


THE  LIFE  OF 


trians  and  the  French,  now  becoming  brethren  from  sad 
necessity,  drew  ne  irer  to  each  other,  bv  crawling,  as  well 
as  they  could,  and  offering  or  seeking  mutual  aid. 

Every  one  had  lain  where  he  was  found,  with  his  knap- 
sack on  his  back  and  his  firelock  between  his  limbs ; horse- 
men, holding,  as  long  as  they  could,  their  bridles  in  their 
hands,  and  sleeping,  both  horses  and  riders  without  any 
thing  to  eat  or  drink. 

The  clock  at  Marengo  struck  ten,  when  the  harassed 
French  were  returning  slowly  towards  San  Juliano.  Num- 
bers, distressed  with  fatigue,  but  more  for  want  of  sleep 
dosed  upon  their  horses’  backs,  but  were  every  instant, 
roused  by  the  painful  cries  of  those  who  were  borne  across 
firelocks  or  temporary  hand-barrows;  or  of  those,  who, 
abandoned  and  scattered  in  the  fields,  implored  their  aid. 
Thus  every  humane  and  sensitive  heart  was  penetrated  with 
that  melancholy  to  which  the  true  soldier  is  no  stranger, 
and  which  does  him  so  much  honour.  Horses,  limping 
here  and  there,  upon  three  legs,  called  to  them  by  their  in- 
stinctive neighings ; at  every  step,  too,  it  was  necessary 
to  turn  out  of  the  way,  so  as  to  avoid  treading  upon  the 
wounded.  The  ditches  and  the  road  often  presented  the 
scene  of  caissoons  and  other  carriages,  as  well  as  cannon, 
overturned  : further  off  were  houses  devoured  by  the  flames 
and  tumbling  upon  the  heads  of  the  wretched  owners,  half 
dead  by  the  fears  which  had  driven  them  to  the  expedient 
of  hiding  themselves  in  the  cellars  and  other  subterraneous 
places.  The  total  darkness  which  every  where  appeared 
made  the  picture  additionally  frightful.  Prisoners,  not 
knowing  where  to  go,  but,  with  the  hope  of  escaping,  wan- 
dered at  random  : if  they  were  met  by  the  French  soldiers, 
bending  under  the  weight  of  their  wounded  comrades,  they 
were  forced  to  turn  back  and  bear  those  burdens  on  their 
shoulders. 

“ At  length  arrived  at  head-quarters,  which  served  as  the 
ambulance  of  the  army,”  says  Monsieur  Petit,  “ every  one 
stowed  himself  as  he  could,  among  the  dying  and  the  dead, 
without  the  piercing  cries  of  the  former  being  able  any  lon- 
ger to  surmount  the  violence  of  sleep.  The  next  morning, 
hunger  taking  its  turn  to  prevail,  I,”  he  continues,  “ in  a 
melancholy  condition,  entered  the  great  court,  to  look  for 
something  for  myself  and  horse  to  eat ; 1 was  there  struck 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


333 


with  a sight  so  horrible  that  I shuddered  all  over. — More 
than  three  thousand,  Frenchmen  and  Austrians,  heaped  up- 
on one  another,  in  the  yard,  in  the  granaries,  in  the  stables 
and  outhouses,  even  to  the  very  cellars  and  vaults,  were  ut- 
tering the  most  lamentable  cries,  blended  with  the  severest 
curses  against  the  surgeons,  there  being  too  few  to  dress  all 
the  wounded  at  once.  Every  where  I heard  the  languishing 
voices  of  comrades,  or  of  my  particular  friends,  who  beg- 
ged of  me  something  to  eat  or  drink  : all  that  I could  do 
was  to  fetch  them  some  water ! In  truth,  forgetting  my 
own  wants  and  those  of  my  horse,  I staid  more  than  two 
hours,  running  backwards  and  forwards,  performing,  by 
turns,  the  part  of  a surgeon  and  an  hospitable  attendant. 

“ Prisoners  were  brought  in  from  every  part,  which  in- 
creased the  number  of  the  famished : in  short,  this  was  a 
day  that  appeared  of  an  insupportable  length  to  all  of  us.” 

An  event,  however,  occurred  during  this  day  which  made 
the  French  army  acquainted  with  the  value  of  the  victory 
they  had  obtained. — An  Austrian  officer  came  to  parley, 
and  a French  aid-de-camp  set  out  immediately  to  Alexan- 
: dria : Berthier  went  off  to  that  place  about  noon,  leaving 

all  in  the  greatest  expectation,  but  no  one  dared  to  hope  for 
that,  which,  the  next  day,  they  knew  to  have  been  obtained, 
i A supply  of  subsistence  and  other  necessaries  now  began 
f S to  arrive,  as  well  as  carriages  for  the  conveyance  of  the  sick  : 
a fraternal  partition  of  these  comforts  was  made  among  all 
| the  victims  of  that  bloody  day.  Without  any  inquietude 
or  jealousy  the  Austrian  was  seen  with  the  Frenchman,  who, 
two  days  before,  would  have  cut  one  onother’s  throats ! 

I they  were  seen  to  receive,  from  the  same  hands,  under  the 
same  roof,  in  the  same  chamber,  the  required  help,  and  the 
urgent  care  of  succouring  humanity  ! 

It  may  not  be  improper  to  introduce  in  this  place  a few 
remarks  upon  the  battle,  as  they  were  given  shortly  after- 
wards, by  a French  writer,  who  served  in  the  consular 
guard. 

“ We,  nevertheless,  had  many  complaints  to  make  against 
the  Austrians,”  says  Monsieur  Petit : “ and  it  may  be  said, 
that  in  the  whole  course  of  this  long  and  terrible  war  against 
liberty,  but  especially  in  the  day  of  the  battle  of  Marengo, 
and  those  which  preceded  it,  they  did  not  shew  that  regard 
for  the  French  which  a generous  enemy  always  feels  for  a 


334 


THE  LIFE  OF 


valiant,  though  conquered,  foe.  During  twelve  hours,  that 
they  had  the  upper  hand  of  us,  could  i be  believed  that 
they  made  only  eleven  hundred  prisoners,  of  which  twenty- 
five  were  of  the  consular  guard  ! They  must,  necessarily, 
have  had  many  more  ; but,  inflated  with  the^r  success  (as 
they  always  are)  they  did  not  imagine  that'  we  should  be 
ever  able  to  bring  back  victory  to  our  standards  ; — they 
treated  us  without  mercy. 

“ The  priests  of  Alexandria  manifested  a baseness  and  ; 
cruelty  towards  us,  for  which  it  may  be  proper  to  mark 
their  foreheads  with  the  seal  of  ignominy.  In  the  beginning 
of  the  action  some  French  prisoners  were  conducted  to  Al-  I 
exandria  : the  priests  announced  their  entry  by  ringing  the 
bells  ; cries  of  ‘Victory  !’  and  the  enthusiasm  of  joy  assail- 
ed the  prisoners.  As  far  as  that  event,  however,  it  is  law-  J 
ful,  since  they  may  be  allowed  to  prefer  the  Austrians  to 
the  Frenchman  : but  they  dared  to  call  us  names,  and  even 
to  strike  the  unfortunate,  who  had  not  the  means  of  self- 
defence,  and  even  exhibited  poinards  to  them  ! And  these 
are  well-instructed  civilized  men,  imbued  with  a sacred  re- 
ligion, who  gave  way  to  such  excesses.  But  mark — these 
same  men,  two  hours  after  (events  had  changed  the  face  of 
things)  dared  to  offer  to  shake  hands  with  us  ! Nothing  is  I 
more  shocking  than  the  eagerness  with  which  the  Austrian, 
strips  oft'  the  spoil  of  his  prisoner  : not  one  among  us  pre- 
served his  sack,  his  hat,  his  cravat,  or  his  shoes  : they 
snatched  from  many  Frenchmen  the  rings  out  of  their  ears, 
without  giving  them  time  to  unlock  them.  We  are  posi- 
tively assured  also  (how  revolting  ! ) that  they  sabred  sev- 
eral of  our  comrades  three  or  four  hours  after  they  had  been 
taken;  and  it  is  added,  that  this  is  no  uncommon  case  among 
them.  It  will  be  readily  admitted,  that,  after  such  informa- 
tion given  to  us,  it  was  well  for  them  they  were  exchanged 
the  next  day. 

“ How  ought  they  to  blush,  in  seeing  with  what  lenity 
and  good  nature  we  conducted  them  to  Milan  ! not  one  was 
struck  or  insulted  ; all  preserved  their  little  effects,  and 
they  followed  the  route  as  they  pleased,  attended  quietly  by 
only  a handful  of  Frenchmen. 

“ But  let  us  console  ourselves  for  those  acts  of  barbarism 
we  have  mentioned,  by  the  recital  of  a trait  of  generous  hu- 
manity : A chasseur  on  foot,  belonging  to  the  consular 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


335 


guard,  fall  of  wounds,  lay,  almost  dead,  in  the  field  of  bat- 
tle, at  the  moment  of  our  retreat.  Some  soldiers  of  Bus- 
sy’s  legion  surrounded  him  and  disputed  among  themselves 
for  his  spoils : nothing  was  left  undisposed  of  but  his  coat, 
which  they  had  already  stripped  him  of,  when  an  Austrian 
colonel,  by  chance,  came  up,  and  driving  away  these  in- 
human fellows  with  his  cane,  asked  the  soldier,  whom  he 
at  first  took  for  an  officer,  to  what  corps. he  belonged.  ‘ I 
belong  to  the  guard  of  the  consul,  whom  you  see  before 
you,’  replied  the  chasseur.  The  colonel,  after  paying  a 
compliment  to  that  body  of  men,  had  his  surgeon  called, 
and  the  wounded  prisoner  was  dressed  in  his  presence  and 
carried  to  the  ambulance.  Some  hours  after,  when  they 
fell  back,  in  their  turn,  this  well-behaved  officer  came 
again,  to  offer  him  his  service  to  carry  him  to  Alexandria. 
The  chasseur,  who  saw  his  deliverance  near,  thanked  him 
for  his  generous  care  and  concern,  while  he  represented  that 
his  wounds  were  too  serious  to  allow  him  to  bear  the  motion 
of  the  conveyance.  In  a short  time  after  he  found  himself 
in  the  midst  of  his  comrades. 

“ In  a moment  when  our  weapons  were  about  to  clash 
with  those  of  the  enemy,  an  Austrian  horseman,  thrown 
down,  lifted  up  his  hands  towards  us,  and  begged  us  not 
to  trample  him  to  death  with  our  horses.  Bessieres,  chief  of 
the  brigade,  perceived  him  : ‘ My  friends  !’  he  cried  out  to 
us,  ‘ open  your  ranks  ; let  us  spare  this  unfortunate  man  V 
How  many  similar  traits,  so  tamiliar  to  Frenchmen,  are 
forgotten  ! 

“ It  may  be  said  that  Pvlarengo  is  the  glorious  patrimony 
of  all  the  brave  men  who  fought  there : there  is  no  one  corps, 
scarce  a single  soldier,  who  has  not  there  gathered  some 
sprigs  of  laurel.  But,  as  I consider  myself  engaged  to 
recount  all  I have  seen  and  been  satisfactorily  informed  of, 
I shall  just  touch  on  two  or  three  occurrences,  which  could 
not  well  enter  into  the  body  of  my  narrative.  The  modesty 
of  the  general  in  chief  has  made  him  silent,  in  his  report, 
concerning  the  dangers  which  he  ran  ; such  as,  that  he  had 
his  clothes  pierced  through,  and  that  he,  more  than  once, 
saw  death  making  way  on  every  side  of  him.  If  we 
call  to  mind,  at  the  same  time,  that  his  adversary,  general 
Melas,  had  a contusion  in  his  arm  and  two  horses  killed 
under  him,  we  may  thence  easily  judge  what  efforts  the 


336 


THE  LIFE  OF 


\ 


two  armies  made,  when  the  chiefs  thus  exposed  themselves 
for  their  country’s  welfare  and  their  glory. 

“ Who  would  not  wish  to  have  fought  in  the  96th  demi- 
brigade ! who  would  not  willingly  have  been  in  the  ranks 
with  the  formidable  grenadiers,  like  the  Greeks  sustaining 
the  efforts  of  the  whole  Persian  army  at  the  strait  of  Ther- 
mopylae— with  the  6th,  light,  the  28th  of  the  line,  the  40th, 
44th,  50th,  &c.  &c. ! who  can  enumerate  almost  as  many 
battles  they  have  fought  as  they  have  been  days  in  Italy. 

“ What  charges  were  made  and  withstood  by  our  caval- 
ry ! what  boldness  and  what  concentration  of  action  in  the 
20th  regiment  of  cavalry  -concealed  and  made  up  for  the 
weakness  of  its  numbers  ! what  intrepidity  in  the  eight  hun- 
dred cavalry  of  the  1st,  2d,  3d,  5th,  21st  and  23d  regiments, 
conducted  by  the  younger  Kellerman,  who  made  six  thou- 
sand grenadiers,  chosen  troops  of  the  enemy,  lay  down  their 
arms,  and  by  whose  success  an  uncertain  victory  was  se- 
cured ! Our  artillery  was  spread  in  very  small  numbers  and 
still  less  provided  for ; but  how  many  of  these  inconvenien- 
ces, owing  to  circumstances,  were  ably  repaired  by  the 
manner  in  which  they  were  disposed,  by  the  prodigies  they 
operated,  in  order,  as  it  were,  to  multiply  themselves  ! In 
every  place  where  necessity  called  them — always  in  battery, 
at  forty  paces  in  front,  they  braved  the  fire  of  triple,  nay 
quadruple,  the  weight  of  the  enemy’s  metal:  and  they  lev- 
elled and  fired  with  sang-froid , justness,  and  promptitude  l 
— But  it  was  Marmont  who  had  the  direction  of  them  ! 

“ The  loss  of  the  consular  guard  was  considerable  only 
in  infantry  : in  five  hundred  men  there  were  two  hundred 
and  fifty-eight  killed  or  put  hors-de- combat.  The  cavalry, 
out  of  two  hundred,  had  a tenth  of  that  number  in  killed 
and  wounded,  and  about  as  many  horses  were  disabled. 
The  light  artillery  was  almost  all  dismounted,  and  the  train- 
horses  killed ; but,  by  an  unexampled  good  fortune,  only 
one  man  was  absolutely  killed  and  but  a very  few  wounded. 

“ After  a slight  examination  (the  best  I was  enabled  to 
make  of  our  respective  forces)  I judged  the  French  army 
at  the  moment  the  battle  commenced,  to  have  been  com- 
posed of  from  forty  to  forty- five  thousand  men,  of  which 
three  thousand  were  cavalry  ; that  it  had  from  twenty- five  to 
thirty  pieces  of  cannon,  in  which  were  two  companies  of 
light  artillery. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


337 


££  The  Austrian  army,  according  to  the  accounts  of  the 
best  informed  persons,  contained,  in  spite  of  the  loss  in 
their  preceding  battles,  and  those  garrisons  which  we  took 
from  them,  and  which  kept  the  places  still  in  their  power — 
their  army,  after  all  these  deductions,  I observe  might  still 
contain  from  fifty- five  to  sixty  thousand  men,  including  the 
reinforcements  which  had  just  arrived  from  Genoa.  From 
fifteen  to  eighteen  thousand  of  these  were  cavalry  ; and  they 
had  more  than  fourscore  pieces  of  cannon,  two  hundred 
ammunition  waggons,  well  provided,  besides  an  immense 
train  of  army  implements  and  equipage  ! All  the  world 
knows  we  were  not  much  encumbered  with  these  last  men- 
tioned articles ; and  that,  for  want  of  caissoons,  we  were 
obliged  to  put  our  ammunition  upon  tumbrils  drawn  by 
oxen,  and  that  the  little  we  brought  into  action  in  this  man- 
ner was  soon  exhausted.” 

It  is  not  to  be  concealed  that  this  victory  cost  the  repub- 
lic dear,  by  the  loss  of  a great  number  of  its  defenders  and 
one  of  its  ablest  generals ; but  let  it  to  be  considered,  that 
it  was  necessary  it  should  be  obtained,  to  save  the  south 
from  a certain  invasion,  and  France,  perhaps,  from  a fright- 
ful devastation. 

The  whole  loss  of  the  enemy  in  the  course  of  this  rapid 
campaign,  including  1,500  sick,  found  in  the  hospitals — 
as  many  killed — and  the  prisoners  taken  since  the  descent 
from  St.  Bernard,  was  60,000  ! a loss,  which,  however 
enormous,  is  not  exaggerated. 

After  enjoying  one  night’s  repose  the  victorious  army 
were  made  acquainted  with  the  joyful  intelligence  of  an  ar- 
mistice being  agreed  upon  by  the  French  and  Austrian  gen- 
erals. 

The  natural  activity  of  Buonaparte  did  not  permit  him 
to  remain  in  Italy  long  after  he  had  achieved  the  grand  ex- 
ploit of  the  campaign.  He  left  Milan  on  the  25th  of  June, 
and  reached  Verceili  on  the  same  evening.  On  the  26th 
he  reached  Turin,  where  he  visited  the  citadel,  and  review- 
ed the  division  of  general  Turreau.  Between  the  26th  and 
27th,  during  the  night,  he  passed  Mount  Cenis.  On  the 
28th,  in  the  morning,  he  arrived  at  Chamberry,  from 
whence  he  proceeded  to  Lyons,  and  reached  that  city  on 
the  same  evening.  He  was  received  with  great  distinction 

43 


338 


THE  LIFE  OF 


by  the  constituted  authorities  in  this  celebrated  city,  and 
was  waited  upon  by  the  prefect,  and  all  the  civil  and  milita- 
ry officers,  as  well  as  the  principal  people  of  the  place. 


CHAPTER  XXL 

General  Kleber,  in  consequence  of'the stipulations  he 
had  entered  into,  had  delivered  up  Catich,  Salahich,  Bel- 
bies,  Damietta,  and  the  Delta,  to  the  Turks,  when  the  in- 
telligence reached  him  that  lord  Keith  had  refused  to  ratify 
the  treaty ; he  was,  therefore  in  a much  worse  condition  than 
when  he  began  to  negotiate,  whilst  the  grand  vizier  had  in- 
creased his  force  prodigiously. 

Forty-five  days  had  been  agreed  upon  as  the  time  for  the 
French  to  evacuate  Cairo,  and  until  that  time  expired  the 
French  general  and  the  Turkish  commander  continued  to 
negotiate  upon  the  most  friendly  footing,  in  expectation 
that  the  court  of  St.  James’s  would  ratify  the  treaty  ; but 
the  grand  vizier,  adhering  literally  to  the  conditions,  de- 
manded the  citadel  of  Cairo  to  be  delivered  up  at  the  time  : 
such  a demand  was  most  unreasonable,  and  the  French 
general  refused  to  comply  with  it.  It  was  asking  him  to 
abandon  the  only  fortified  place  that  he  held  in  Upper 
Egypt,  and,  in  fact,  to  shut  himself  up  in  Alexandria,  where 
he  would,  shortly,  have  been  obliged  to  capitulate  without 
terms.  He  could  not  have  chosen  such  a part  without  dis- 
honour ; and  the  Turks  should  have  considered,  that  some 
disagreements  which  had  happened  between  them  and 
Dgezzer  Pacha  were  to  be  reckoned  in  the  light  of  advan- 
tages to  the  French,  who,  beside,  had  formed  a comprom- 
ise with  Murad  Bey,  which  gave  them  security  on  the  side 
of  Upper  Egypt. 

Kleber  determined  to  keep  the  power  he  held,  and  made 
the  letter  from  lord  Keith  the  ground  upon  which  he  justi- 
fied himself  to  his  army  for  recommencing  hostilities.  The  I 
letter  of  the  English  admiral  notified,  as  before  stated,  his 
orders  not  to  sanction  the  treaty  of  El-Arish  ; and  it  con- 
cluded by  informing  general  Kleber,  that  “ all  ships  that 
might  be  met  returning  to  France,  notwithstanding  they 
might  have  passports,  would  be  retained  as  prizes,  and  all 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


$39 


on  board  them  would  be  made  prisoners  of  war.”  “ Sol- 
diers !”  said  the  French  general,  “ we  knowhow  to  reply 
to  such  insolence  by  victories  : prepare  for  battle  !” 

From  the  8th  to  the  20th  of  March  the  French  army  was 
occupied  in  preparations,  and  on  that  day,  early  in  the 
morning,  the  troops  began  to  cannonade  the  advanced  posts 
of  the  Turks,  which  were  at  Maturia,  about  two  leagues 
from  Cairo,  the  camp  being  at  Heliopolis. 

At  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning  the  grand  vizier  advan- 
ced with  his  army,  the  French  being  drawn  up  in  two  lines. 
A corps  of  janizaries  charged  the  French  with  considerable 
bravery  ; but  being  ill  supported  by  their  artillery,  and  not 
sufficiently  supplied  with  ammunition,  were  soon  obliged 
to  retreat.  The  French  troops  were  fifteen  thousand  strong, 
well  proportioned  with  cavalry  and  dromedaries  ; the  T urks 
were  capable  of  mustering  eighty  thousand  troops  in  a few 
hours.  Few  battles  have  been  fought  with  more  fury  dur- 
ing the  time  that  it  lasted  ; but  here,  as  upon  all  former 
occasions,  the  superior  skill  of  the  smaller  number  set  the 
power  of  the  larger  at  defiance,  insomuch,  that,  by  noon, 
the  French  were  ready  to  advance  upon  their  adversaries  : 
a dreadful  fire  of  artillery  and  musquetry,  from  the  whole 
i line,  threw  the  Turkish  hordes  into  irrecoverable  disorder 
and  confusion,  whilst  the  enemy  rushed  upon  them  and 
mowed  them  down  like  grass  : forty  thousand  men  took  to 
flight  in  all  directions,  and  the  grand  vizier  found  it  impos- 
sible to  rally  them. 

During  this  conflict  the  slaughter  among  the  Turks  is 
supposed  to  have  amounted  to  eight  thousand  killed,  beside 
wounded  and  prisoners  ! The  French  fought  desperately, 
and  their  fury  was  not  allayed  when  they  learned  that  Cairo 
, had  been  attacked  by  some  thousands  of  the  enemy,  who 
had  penetrated  by  the  way  of  Boulac,  with  a view  to  cut  off 
: their  only  resource,  and  butcher  them  in  the  desert. 

The  conferences  relative  to  the  naval  armistice,  which 
had  been  carried  on  between  M.  Otto,  the  French  commis- 
sary at  London,  for  the  exchange  of  prisoners,  and  certain 
persons  appointed  by  the  English  ministry,  in  consequence 
of  a communication  made  to  M.  Talleyrand,  by  the  im- 
perial minister  baron  Thugut,  at  the  request  of  lord  Minto, 
on  the  11th  of  August,  continued  without  relaxation  until 


340 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  8th  of  October,  when  the  correspondence  was  closed 
by  M.  Otto. 

Right  or  wrong  were  matters  of  perfect  indifference  to 
the  consul  and  his  court : it  was  an  acquisition  of  the  very 
first  consequence  that  they  were  endeavouring  to  obtain,  and 
if  extraordinary  exertions  were  necessary,  those  exertions 
they  resolved  to  make.  The  policy  of  France,  under  every 
form  of  government,  whether  Bourbons,  Jacobins,  or  Buo- 
napartes, has  always  been,  to  attempt  by  intrigue  whatever 
it  had  failed  to  obtain  by  arms  ; and,  in  conformity  with 
this  system  the  consul  embarked  in  a plan,  as  magnificent 
in  design  as  it  was  difficult  of  execution,  with  a view  to 
undermine  the  naval  power  of  Britain. 

The  first  step  to  be  taken  was  to  persuade  the  neutral 
powers  that  they  had  as  strong  an  interest  in  resisting  the 
British  claim  of  a right  to  search  neutral  vessels  as  he  had  : 
but  this  had  always  been  found  extremely  difficult ; for  the 
British  courts  of  admiralty  always  made  compensation  to 
the  neutrals  for  their  losses,  even  when  the  cargoes  they 
had  carried  were  proved  to  have  been  enemy’s  property  and 
were  condemned  as  such.  It  was,  therefore,  resolved  to 
raise  an  unusual  bustle  in  all  the  neutral  ports,  by  employ- 
ing an  unusual  quantity  of  shipping  for  French  account,  in 
order  that  a considerable  part  of  the  trade  of  those  ports 
might  depend  upon  their  being  able  to  transport  goods  to 
and  from  France.  French  agents  were  either  sent  to,  or 
the  most  celebrated  merchants  were  engaged  as  French 
agents,  in  all  the  ports  of  the  Baltic  and  America,  as  well 
as  in  the  Greek  and  Italian  states  in  the  Mediterranean,  to 
make  shipments  for  France.  Among  the  goods  thus  pur- 
chased for  and  on  account  of  the  French  government  was  a 
prodigious  quantity  of  timber  and  naval  stores,  which  were 
paid  for  by  bills  upon  persons  notoriously  in  its  service,  and 
which  goods  were  afterwards  neutralised  and  ensured  from 
capture  by  neutral  merchants  residing  in  those  neutral  ports, 
in  order  that  those  states  themselves  might  find  it  their 
interest  to  get  such  property  safe  into  the  harbours  of 
France. 

The  silly  people  of  those  countries  did  not  see  that  such 
a trade  must  necessarily  be  of  the  most  ephemeral  kind  ; 
and,  that,  even  if  they  should  happen  to  be  the  most  suc- 
cessful of  tools  in  the  hand  of  France,  she  could  not  make 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


341 


use  of  them  after  her  arsenals  and  granaries  were  filled. 
They  were  entrapped — the  bait  was  suited  to  their  capaci- 
ties— they  began  to  speculate  with  as  much  zeal  as  a young 
shopkeeper  does,  when,  as  soon  as  he  has  sold  a few  arti- 
cles, he  takes  it  for  granted  he  shall  presently  make  a for- 
tune ! A new  attempt  was  made  to  inveigle  Great  Britain 
out  of  its  common  sense,  rather,  the  old  attempt  took  a 
new  form.  The  frantic  hostility  of  the  emperor  of  Russia 
took  the  precise  direction  that  the  first  consul  desired  : it  was 
the  governments  of  the  neutral  states  that  undertook  his 
cause  by  the  northern  confederacy,  and  it  was  not  merely 
against  the  duplicity  of  a few  mercenary  citizens  that  Great 
Britain  had  now  to  contend,  but  against  the  nations  united 
in  one  powerful  combination.  “ We  will  acknowledge,” 
said  the  confederates,  “ that  the  English  may  have  been 
right  in  enforcing  the  search  hitherto,  because  the  vessels 
upon  which  the  principle  has  operated  have  not  been  accom- 
panied by  any  state  ship  that  could  answer  for  the  regularity 
of  their  papers  : we  will  no  longer  let  our  ships  go  to  sea 
without  convoy,  and  we  will  pledge  ourselves  to  resist  the 
right  of  searching  neutral  ships  when  escorted  by  one  or 
more  ships  of  war.”  Russia,  Prussia,  Denmark,  and  Swe- 
den, were  in  a league  to  convoy  safely  into  the  ports  of 
France  as  much  French  property  as  it  were  possible  to 
cover  by  the  oaths  of  a number  of  unprincipled  men,  in- 
habiting each  of  their  ports,  whose  only  property  and  whose 
only  revenues  arose  out  of  their  perjuries,  in  swearing 
property  to  be  their  own  which  they  never  saw  and  never 
were  interested  in  to  the  value  of  a single  doit ; and,  when 
Buonaparte  had  succeeded  so  far,  there  could  be  nothing 
surprising  in  his  treating  the  American  ministers  with  a 
dinner  before  they  left  Paris : to  give  them  a hint  of  what 
was  expected  of  them,  in  a toast,  drank  by  the  third  con- 
sul, Le  Brun : “To  the  union  of  America  with  the  powers 
of  the  north  ; that  respect  may  be  procured  for  the  liberty 
of  the  seas.” 

During  the  time  that  the  diplomatic  corps  were  disputing 
and  explaining  upon  this  subject,  Buonaparte  was  consoli- 
dating his  power  by  all  the  devices  that  wisdom  or  art  could 
bring  to  bear  upon  that  object.  He  gradually  increased  the 
splendour  and  magnificence  of  his  levees  and  reviews ; he 
avoided  appearing,  except  upon  rare  and  especial  occasions ; 


342 


THE  LIFE  OF 


when  he  did  appear,  he  chose  an  opportunity  of  ingratiating 
himself  with  the  army,  either  by  the  affability  of  his  man- 
ner, or  some  well  chosen  compliment  to  the  regiment  that 
happened  to  be  nearest  to  his  person.  Upon  the  pretence 
of  business  he  never  suffered  himself  to  be  approached  but 
through  the  ministers,  and  by  that  means  avoided  all  the 
familiarity  of  inferior  people,  which  the  republican  ideas  of 
his  fellow-citizens  led  him  to  expect.  When  he  admitted 
any  person  to  his  presence,  it  was  only  such  as  were  of 
consequence,  either  by  their  rank  or  property,  and  he  never 
suffered  any  one  that  he  spoke  to,  to  quit  him  until  he  had 
conferred  some  act  of  grace  or  some  flattering  mark  of  at- 
tention upon  him.  His  family  had  been  rigidly  enjoined 
to  be  particularly  select  in  their  connexions,  and  Madame 
Buonaparte,  about  this  time,  presented,  for  his  approbation, 
a general  plan  for  settling  the  branches  of  both  their  families, 
in  a way,  that  was  most  calculated  to  strengthen  their  in- 
terests without  frustrating  their  ultimate  designs. 

We  have  already  traced  the  character  of  Buonaparte  from 
obscurity  to  splendour ; we  have  seen  him  in  various  trying 
situations,  surmounting  some  of  them  by  his  genius,  some 
by  his  Machiavaelian  policy,  some  by  his  cruelty.  As  a 
warrior  he  has,  hitherto,  appeared  most  conspicuous  ; in 
the  field  of  battle  he  has  shone  forth  with  a lustre  over  which 
envy  itself  cannot  cast  a shade  : — the  bridge  of  Lodi,  the 
passage  of  St.  Bernard,  and  the  field  of  Marengo,  are  ex- 
ploits that  demand  the  meed  of  applause,  which  we  so  wil- 
lingly confer  upon  the  heroes  of  antiquity. 

The  armistice  which  had  been  concluded  between  the 
emperor  and  Moreau  expired,  during  the  continuance  of 
some  negotiations  between  this  country  and  France  ; and 
the  cabinet  of  Vienna,  totally  unprepared  for  a renewal  of 
the  contest,  was  under  a necessity  of  soliciting  a new  truce. 
Some  discussions  took  place  between  general  Moreau  on 
the  one  side  and  the  count  de  Lehrbach  on  the  other,  and  a 
further  suspension  of  arms  was  obtained  in  Germany  and 
Italy,  for  forty-five  days,  on  the  20th  of  September.  The 
terms  of  this  truce  were  such,  as  manifestly  shewed  the 
different  situation  of  the  contracting  parties  ; the  cities  of 
Philipsburgh,  Ulm,  and  Ingolstadt,  were  the  price  de- 
manded from  the  emperor  for  this  momentary  respite. 

The  policy  which  France  had  constantly  pursued  pro- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


343 


duced  a new  rupture  with  the  Austrians  : unable  to  force 
them  to  a separate  treaty,  she  resolved  to  renew  the  con- 
test ; proud  and  confident  in  her  successes,  she  felt  no 
doubts  as  to  her  future  career ; and  the  emperor,  whose 
fidelity  to  his  allies  merited  a better  reward,  repaired  to  the 
head-quarters  of  his  army  with  the  archduke  Charles.  A 
recommencement  of  hostilities  being  decided  upon,  Au- 
gereau,  at  the  head  of  the  Batavian  army,  crossed  to  the 
right  bank  of  the  Rhine  ; while  Macdonald,  now  stationed 
in  the  country  of  the  Grisons,  prepared  to  pass  the  Rhetian 
Alps  and  convey  new  succours  into  Italy. 

Moreau  during  this  truce  had  returned  to  his  native  coun- 
try and  married  ; but  the  stern  alarms  of  war  called  him 
from  the  soft  pleasures  of  love  ; and,  after  sixteen  days,  he 
was  obliged  to  quit  his  bride  and  repair  to  his  head-quar- 
ters. He  published  an  address  to  his  soldiers,  in  which  he 
requested  them  to  exhibit  the  same  gallantry  and  the  same 
disregard  to  the  rigours  of  the  season,  which  they  had  be- 
fore displayed  when  employed  in  the  defence  of  FortKehl 
and  the  conquest  of  Holland. 

Moreau  was  now  at  the  head  of  the  most  numerous  ar- 
my that  France  had  ever  sent  into  Germany,  and,  proceed- 
ing in  quest  of  the  enemy,  their  advanced  guards  encoun- 
tered each  other  at  Haag,  where  the  Austrians  obtained  a 
superiority. 

The  archduke  John  was  now  at  the  head  of  the  imperial 
forces  : flushed  with  some  partial  successes,  he  collected  all 
his  forces,  marched  in  search  of  the  French,  and  attacked 
e - them  with  an  unusual  degree  of  vigour.  The  battle  com- 
menced at  seven  o’clock  in  the  morning,  between  the  rivers 
d [ Ider  and  Inn,  on  the  heights  which  extend  from  Bierkrain 
i to  Neumarck,  and  near  the  very  spot  (Hohenlinden)  where 
! the  armistice  had,  a short  time  before,  been  concluded, 
on  This  was  an  important  battle,  and  one  that  seemed  worthy 
to  decide  the  fate  of  an  empire  : there  were  many  circum- 
; stances  which  tended  to  render  it  fatal  to  the  Austrians  ; 
» amongst  others,  a severe  fall  of  snow,  which  precluded  that 
regularity  and  conformity  in  the  operations  which  must  al- 
ways accompany  a combined  movement,  or  without  which 
the  utmost  stretch  of  human  genius  can  effect  nothing. 
Still,  however,  the  gallant  ardour  of  the  troops  was  not  di- 
minished by  this  derangement  of  the  original  plan ; and  such 


344 


THE  LIFE  OF 


was  the  determined  bravery  displayed  on  both  sides,  that 
victory  for  a time  hung  in  suspense. 

Moreau,  however,  anticipated  the  intentions  of  the  arch- 
duke, and  having  ordered  general  Richepanse  to  assail  the 
centre  column  in  flank  at  the  moment  it  commenced  an  at- 
tack, this  unexpected  evolution  produced  inconceivable 
confusion,  and  the  left  one  being  penetrated  nearly  at  the 
same  time,  added  to  other  difficulties,  they  were  forced  to 
retire  at  three  o’clock  in  the  afternoon ; and  Moreau  hung 
with  such  determined  impetuosity  upon  their  rear,  that  night 
alone  saved  them  from  total  destruction.  In  this  battle  were 
taken  the  greatest  part  of  the  baggage,  more  than  18,000 
prisoners,  and  near  100  pieces  of  cannon.  The  enemy  fled 
in  disorder  beyond  the  Inn,  and  in  their  flight  they  carried 
dismay  and  consternation. 

In  order  to  improve  the  advantages  gained  by  this  splen- 
did victory  at  Hohenlinden,  on  the  3d  of  December,  1800, 
Moreau,  still  advancing  towards  the  Austrian  capital,  pro- 
ceeded rapidly  to  Saltzburgh  : the  advantages  of  occupying 
this  post  were  numerous,  and  they  were  all  foreseen  by  this 
able  general : in  his  route,  however,  it  was  necessary  to  pass 
two  rivers,  the  Inn  and  the  Salza  : the  former  rises  in  the 
country  of  the  Grisons,  passes  through  Tyrol  and  Bavaria, 
and  falls  into  the  Danube  near  Passau ; its  bed  is  deep  and 
it  has  a rapid  current.  It  was  considered  by  marshal  Tu- 
renne  as  one  of  the  strongest  military  barriers  in  Europe  : 
its  right  bank,  from  the  Alps  to  its  junction  with  the  Da- 
nube, is  fortified  by  a chain  of  rocks.  The  Salza  is  neither 
so  large  nor  so  rapid  as  the  Inn,  yet  it  is  a river  of  considera- 
ble magnitude  : Saltzburgh  is  situated  on  its  right  bank, 
about  one  hundred  and  forty  miles  west- south- west  from 
Vienna. 

Moreau  having  to  pass  these  rivers  the  retreating  Aus- 
trians were  enabled  to  retard  his  march,  and,  in  some  de- 
gree, to  weaken  his  force  : still,  however,  the  French  finally 
prevailed  over  obstacles  that,  to  a less  persevering  army,  or 
to  one  less  accustomed  to  conquer,  would  have  been  con- 
sidered as  insurmountable.  The  Inn  was  crossed  Decem- 
ber 9,  at  Nieupeurien,  between  Rosenheim  and  Kuffstein, 
at  VVasserburg  and  at  Muhldorff;  the  Salza  between  Saltz- 
burgh and  Lauffen. 

The  greatest  part  of  the  Austrian  army  was  concentrated 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


345 


on  the  ground  between  Lauffen.  and  Saltzburgh.  This 
was  on  the  12th  December.  A division,  under  general 
Lecourbe,  was  ordered  to  advance  on  the  right  bank  of  the 
Saal,  and  another,  under  general  Decaen,  by  Lauffen  ; 
while  a corps  of  reserve,  under  generals  Richepanse  and 
Grouchy,  was  ready  to  support  either  Lecourbe  or  Decaen, 
according  as  circumstances  might  render  it  necessary. 
General  Lecourbe  passed  the  Saal  on  the  13th  December, 
without  much  difficulty,  and  made  himself  master  of  the 
village  of  Waal.  General  Decaen  having  arrived  near  Lauf- 
fen found  the  bridge  broken  down,  and  the  enemy  defend- 
ing the  heights  which  command  it.  At  this  critical  junc- 
ture an  act  of  bravery  was  performed  : three  chasseurs 
threw  themselves  into  the  Salza,  in  spite  of  the  intense  cold, 
and  swam  over  for  some  boats,  on  the  opposite  side  ; mean- 
while others  advanced  and  kept  up  a discharge  of  musketry 
along  the  ruins  of  the  bridge.  About  eighty  men  passed 
the  river  in  the  boats  that  had  been  seized  ; and  before  this 
handful  of  soldiers  a party  of  Austrians  reteated  and  left  200 
i prisoners  ! Such  a paltry  resistance  served  only  to  add  fresh 
| vigour  to  an  enemy  already  full  of  an  overweening  confi- 
dence, and  at  the  same  time  contributed  to  spread  a gene- 
ral sense  of  inferiority  and  a strong  feeling  of  timidity  through 
the  Austrian  army. 

The  commander  in  chief  ordered  Grenier  to  advance  with 
his  two  divisions  to  Lauffen,  and  the  same  orders  were  giv- 
en to  generals  Grouchy  and  Richepanse  ; a new  bridge  was 
thrown  across  the  river,  and  500  men,  under  the  command 
of  general  Lecourbe,  passed  over  it : they  were  continuing 
their  route,  when,  on  the  morning  of  the  14th,  the  Aus- 
trians presented  themselves  in  a large  body.  General  Le- 
courbe knew  his  inferiority,  and,  consequently,  fell  back, 
t contenting  himself  with  defending  the  road  and  maintaining 
possession  of  the  village  of  Waal.  A severe  action  took 
place  ; but  still  Lecourbe  preserved  his  position  until  time- 
II  ly  assisted  by  the  whole  division  of  Decaen,  who  had  pass- 
1 ed  the  river,  and  in  advancing  kept  up  a terrible  fire  of  ar- 
il tillery  on  all  that  opposed  him  ; this  movement  favoured 
also  the  passage  of  a division  under  Richepanse,  which  now 
began  to  form  on  the  right  bank. 

In  the  night  of  the  14th  the  Austrians  retreated  precipi- 
tately, and  the  French  entered  Saltzburgh  at  eight  o’clock 

44 


346 


THE  LIFE  OF 


in  the  morning : general  Richepanse,  with  the  left  division 
of  the  French  army,  pursued  the  imperialists  along  the  road 
to  Lintz  and  entered  Nevvmack,  the  last  post  in  Bavaria,  on 
the  frontiers  of  the  hereditary  states  of  the  emperor.  The 
archduke  John,  whose  head-quarters  were  removed  to  Brau- 
nau,  on  the  lower  Inn,  was  by  this  manoeuvre  cut  off  from 
all  communication  with  the  Austrian  commander,  general 
Moliitor,  in  the  Tryol,  who  had  a force  of  about  25,000 
men,  but  who  had  no  communication  except  with  general 
Bellegarde. 

A perilous  enterprise  was,  in  the  mean  time,  effected  by 
general  Macdonald. — He  had  passed,  in  the  first  weeks  of 
December,  the  Rhetian  Alps,  by  the  defiles  of  the  Splugen 
and  through  Chiavenna,  at  the  head  of  a column,  in  order 
to  support  the  left  wing  of  the  Italian  army,  under  the  com- 
mand of  general  Brune.  The  intrepid  perseverance  of  the 
general  could  alone  have  brought  to  a successful  comple- 
tion this  undertaking  ; he  led,  in  person,  the  pioneers  to 
near  the  summit  of  the  Splugen,  which  was  filled  up,  and 
as  it  were  obliterated,  by  the  drifted  snow.  He  set  the  ex- 
ample of  working  to  open  a path,  which  was  effected  ; but 
the  foremost  party  had  not  advanced  far  when  the  path  was 
again  covered,  and  his  grenadiers,  sinking  in  the  snow  be- 
gan to  believe  it  was  impossible  to  proceed  further : even 
the  very  poles,  that  had  been  set  up  for  marks,  were  cover- 
ed with  the  snow,  which  still  continued  to  fall.  But  the 
general  was  himself  the  first  to  advance  at  the  head  of  the 
pioneers  and  sound  the  road  : those  who  were  near  him  he 
animated  by  his  voice  and  example ; and,  at  length  he  con- 
ducted his  troops  through  all  the  dangers  of  the  Splugen, 
and,  on  the  1 1th  of  December,  gained  the  valley  of  the 
Aclda,  in  the  Valielline,  by  which  means  a communica- 
tion was  opened  with  general  Brune  : at  the  same  time, 
likewise,  he  was  master  of  both  banks  of  the  Upper  Inn 
and  of  the  Upper  Engadine,  and  thus  mutual  communica- 
tions were  established.  The  Engadine,  or,  as  it  is  called 
by  the  natives  and  the  neighbouring  states,  Engadina , is  a 
country  of  the  Orisons  : it  extends  along  the  bank  of  the 
river  Inn  from  its  source  to  the  Tyrolese,  and  is  divided  im 
to  the  Upper  and  the  Lower  Engadine.  i 

While  all  these  combined  operations  were  carrying  on/ 
the  Gallo-Batavian  army,  under  Augereau,  whose  right; 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


347 


wing  was  to  protect  and  co-operate  with  the  left  of  Mo- 
reau’s, gained  some  important  advantages  over  the  Austri- 
ans in  Franconia.  On  the  rupture  of  the  armistice  the  ba- 
ron D’Albini,  who  commanded  the  troops  of  Mayence, 
stationed  at  Aschaffenburg,  attacked  the  Batavian  infantry. 
Augereau  having  received  intelligence  from  Moreau  that  the 
Austrians  had  assembled,  to  the  number  of  twelve  or  thir- 
teen thousand,  before  Bamberg,  resolved  to  give  them  bat- 
tle with  two  divisions  of  his  army,  and  to  drive  them  be- 
yond the  Rednitz.  They  occupied,  besides  the  village, 
the  two  first  heights  that  command  Burgh- Eberach.  They 
were  driven  from  the  village  and  the  first  height  ; they 
made  a resolute  stand  on  the  second,  but  they  were  forced 
to  relinquish  this  after  an  obstinate  resistance.  General 
Duhesme  took  possession  of  Bamberg  on  the  3d  Decem- 
ber. Augereau,  informed  of  the  success  of  the  army  of 
the  Rhine,  withdrawing  his  right  wing  from  the  Rednitz, 
took  possession  of  Furchem  and  Nuremburg,  and  there 
meant  to  wait  for  further  advices  from  Moreau.  It  was 
the  object  of  the  Austrians  to  cut  off,  if  possible,  the  com- 
munication between  Augereau  and  Moreau  and  to  turn  the 
left  of  the  latter’s  army.  Nothing  but  slight  skirmishes 
took  place  from  the  3d  to  the  17th  : but  a bioody  battle  was 
fought  on  the  18th  between  Nuremburg  and  Lauff ; it  last- 
ed from  nine  o’clock  in  the  morning  till  the  close  of  the  day. 
The  engagement  was  equally  fierce  on  both  sides  : the  as- 
sailants were  forced  to  fall  back,  but  the  loss  was  supposed 
to  be  nearly  equal  in  either  army  : a hundred  waggons  were 
loaded  with  dead  and  wounded  Austrians, 

Such  was  the  situation  of  affairs  when  the  Austrian  army 
of  the  Danube  moved  from  Braunau,  and,  on  the  16th  of 
December,  took  an  advantageous  position  behind  the 
Traun.  The  command  of  the  army  was  taken  by  the  arch- 
duke Charles,  with  full  powers;  a thing  which  had  long 
been  denied  to  him.  A battle  took  place,  in  which  the 
l Austrians  lost  in  killed  and  wounded,  from  300  to  50(>; 

! 1,000  were  taken  prisoners,  600  of  which  were  cavalry,  with 
f general  Lopez,  their  commander.  They  sustained  another 
defeat,  on  the  heights  of  Lambach;  by  Richepanse,  who 
i drove  them  into  the  defiles  of  Lambach  with  great  loss, 
i The  imperial  army  now  retreated  to  Lintz,  within  92  miles 


348 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  Vienna  : the  French  continued  to  advance,  and  on  the 
20th  December  fixed  their  head-quarters  at  W ells. 

The  French  army  had  now  penetrated  into  the  heart  of 
Germany,  and  threatened  even  the  capital : their  rapid  suc- 
cesses, and  the  indefatigable  manner  in  which  they  followed 
those  successes  up,  allowed  no  time  to  the  retreating  Aus- 
trians to  recover  themselves  ; this  perfection  of  military  skill 
was  well  understood  by  Moreau,  admirable  not  only  in  his 
plans  but  decisive  in  their  execution  ; the  celerity  with 
which  he  pushed  them  one  upon  the  other  confounded  his 
enemies  : if  he  attacked  and  conquered,  he  followed  the 
discomfited  foe  with  such  perseverance,  that  no  time  could 
be  gained  by  them  to  reinstate  themselves.  In  conformity 
with  this  system,  he  now  formed  his  army  into  three  col- 
umns, of  which  the  right,  under  Lecourbe,  advanced  to- 
wards the  mountains  south  of  Steyer  on  the  Ens;  the  centre, 
commanded  by  Moreau  himself,  set  out  for  Steyer ; and 
the  left,  under  Grenier,  which  had  marched  along  the  south 
banks  of  the  Danube,  and  forced  the  Austrians  to  retreat 
from  Lintz  across  the  river,  proceeded  on  the  high  road 
from  Lintz  towards  Vienna.  On  the  24th  Richepanse, 
with  the  advanced  guard  of  the  centre  column,  entered 
Steyer,  in  which  he  found  17  pieces  of  cannon,  and  made 
4,000  prisoners.  On  the  25th,  the  French  began  to  pro- 
ceed onward  to  the  next  river,  the  Erlaph,  and  the  Austri- 
ans to  retire  behind  the  Trasen,  the  last  river  of  any  note, 
within  fifty  miles  of  Vienna. 

Thus  critically  situated,  all  was  confusion,  consternation, 
and  dismay,  within  this  extensive  city ; terror  reigned  in 
every  countenance,  except  those,  who,  disaffected  to  the 
government,  expected  from  the  arrival  of  the  French  some- 
thing, though  they  knew  not  what : yet  it  would  be  change, 
and  change,  to  evil  minds,  though  from  bad  to  worse,  is 
preferable  to  the  torpid  state  of  inactivity  and  monotony, 
when  their  spirits  feed  upon  themselves.  In  every  country 
are  to  be  found  those  restless  and  unquiet  spirits,  that  seem 
to  find  no  consolation  in  existing  things  ; to  create  disturb- 
ance, whence  some  change  of  condition  may  arise,  is  the 
only  balm  they  can  apply  to  minds  harassed  with  care  and 
satiated  with  vice.  In  every  country,  too,  there  are  cool, 
calculating  knaves,  who  speculate  upon  ruin  and  anarchy 
with  the  apathy  of  demons ; they  instil  their  doctrines  into 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPAKTE. 


349 


the  minds  of  the  eager  and  wavering  multitude,  and  thus 
create  sects.  These  are  the  inseparable  pests  of  all  large 
cities,  and  of  these  Vienna  was  not,  of  course,  destitute. 
In  proportion  as  the  common  enemy  approached,  their  spirits 
rose  ; they  had  meetings,  and  anticipated  scenes  of  glorious 
uproar  and  ruin ; they  took  no  pains  to  conceal  their  senti- 
ments, and  the  loyal  and  the  virtuous  felt  their  dread  in- 
crease when  they  saw  traitors  within  the  walls  and  enemies 
without.  The  city  was  in  a state  of  utter  confusion  ; trade 
was  stopped ; families  kept  within  doors,  and  scarcely  ven- 
tured into  the  streets  ; distrust  and  suspicion  prevailed  ; the 
wealthy  trembled  for  their  money  and  their  palaces ; the 
honest  artisan,  the  industrious  tradesman,  shuddered  at  the 
thought  of  seeing  his  little  property  pillaged  by  a band  of 
lawless  invaders,  who  would  ravage  and  spoil  wherever  they 
entered  ; they  looked  upon  their  families  and  wept,  as  they 
thought  that  a few  days  might  behold  them  a prey  to  ruffian 
violence  and  sanguinary  cruelty.  The  consternation  was 
increased  by  the  departure  of  the  imperial  family,  who  set 
out  for  Offen,  escorted  by  a party  of  the  life-guards.  The 
gallery  of  paintings,  with  the  imperial  treasury,  other  valu- 
able articles,  and  the  city  treasury,  were  placed  in  waggons, 
and  ready  to  be  removed  from  the  capital : such  prepara- 
tions could  not  fail  to  excite  the  most  lively  alarm  ; but  the 
fears  of  the  good  were  quieted,  and  the  hopes  of  the  fac- 
tious were  frustrated  by  the  arrival  of  the  archduke  Charles 
at  Vienna,  on  the  27th  December,  at  ten  in  the  morning, 
who  brought  the  consolatory  intelligence  of  his  having  con- 
cluded an  armistice  at  Steyer,  of  thirty  days,  with  general 
Moreau. 

By  this  armistice,  the  French  army  of  the  Rhine  obtained 
a triangular  portion  of  territory,  whose  base  rested  on  Chia- 
vennaand  Wurtzburg,  and  whose  point  was  between  Leo- 
ben  and  Pachlarn  on  the  Danube,  within  fifty-two  English 
miles  from  Vienna.  This  armistice  comprehended  the 
Gallo-Batavian  army,  as  well  as  that  of  the  Rhine ; its 
duration  was  to  be  for  thirty  days,  and  hostilities  were  not 
to  be  recommenced  after  its  expiration,  until  a previous 
notice  of  fifteen  days  had  been  given  : the  armistice  might, 
therefore,  be  indefinitely  prolonged  until  the  notice  of  the 
rupture.  No  corps  or  detachments,  either  of  the  French 
army  of  the  Rhine,  or  that  of  his  imperial  majesty  in  Ger- 


350 


THE  LIFE  OF 


many,  were  to  be  sent  to  the  respective  armies  in  Italy,  so 
long  as  there  should  be  no  armistice  between  the  French  and 
the  imperial  armies  in  that  country.  In  addition  to  this, 
Moreau  promised  to  dispatch,  with  the  utmost  diligence, 
the  present  convention  to  the  general  in  chief  of  the  Gallo- 
Batavian  army,  that  of  the  Grisons,  and  that  of  Italy ; 
urging  them  strongly  at  the  same  time,  particularly  the  army 
©f  Italy,  to  conclude  a suspension  of  hostilities. 


CHAPTER  XXII. 

Kleber,  the  commander  of  the  army  in  Egypt,  had 
been  most  cruelly  assassinated,  and  Menou  succeeded  to 
the  command. 

There  was  nothing  which  excited  more  general  indignation 
in  the  French  army  than  this  act,  and  the  dastardly  attempts 
which  were  made  by  Menou  to  tarnish  and  degrade  the  glory 
of  Kleber.  Kleber  was  adored  by  the  soldiery,  more  even 
than  Buonaparte  : they  had  not  forgotten  his  magnanimous 
conduct  with  regard  to  the  latter,  when  he  left  him  to  con- 
duct the  perilous  war  to  a conclusion,  without  money,  or 
any  resources  necessary  to  an  army  in  a foreign  country. 
Kleber  had  the  glory  of  France  at  his  heart,  and  he  loved 
the  service  he  was  engaged  in  too  well  to  risk  its  disgrace 
by  damping  the  spirits  of  his  men  : he  became,  therefore, 
voluntarily,  the  apologist  of  Buonaparte,  and  hushed  the 
indignant  feelings  of  his  own  breast  that  he  might  not 
awaken  those  of  his  army.  This  was  a noble  trait  of  char- 
acter, which  reflects  an  enviable  lustre  on  his  name  ; it  was 
not  forgotten  by  the  French  ; and  they  execrated  the  mean- 
ness of  Menou,  who  strove,  by  a thousand  dirty  acts,  to 
cast  a shade  of  opprobrium  upon  the  much  loved  memory 
of  the  man  he  had  succeeded.  How  unlike  the  nobleness 
of  a great  mind  ! When  Julius  Cassar  beheld  the  head  of 
Pompey,  his  rival  for  dominion,  he  wept ; a homage  that 
dignified  at  once  the  giver  and  receiver. 

General  Menou,  in  fact,  rendered  himself  equally  un- 
popular to  the  men  and  to  the  generals.  His  conduct  was 
often  tyrannical  and  capricious  ; and  this  disgusted  those 
officers  who  felt  themselves  his  equal  in  military  science, 


NAPOLEOH  BUONAPARTE. 


351 


It  is  a dangerous  thing  when  a commander  in  chief  alienates 
the  affections  of  his  generals  : the  soldiery  may  be  disgusted 
with  their  head,  yet  allegiance  to  their  immediate  command- 
ers will  keep  them  faithful ; but  when  these  are  disaffected, 
there  is  then  no  bond  subsisting  to  check  the  most  alarming 
dissensions.  One  of  those  arbitrary  measures  which  Me- 
nou  indulged  in,  was  the  displacing  general  Dumas  from  his 
station,  and  this  was  done  without  the  least  reason  being 
assigned  for  it.  General  Dumas  was  astonished  : he  wrote 
to  Menou,  expressing  his  total  ignorance  of  what  cause  he 
could  have  for  a step  so  strange  and  unprecedented  ; he 
urged  also,  that  it  was  incumbent  on  Menou  to  wait  for 
dispatches  from  his  government,  unless  he  had  charges 
against  him  weighty  enough  to  authorize  a court  martial. 
To  this  remonstrance  he  received  no  answer,  and  Menou 
even  refused  to  see  him. 

General  Reynier  and  general  Friant,  justly  apprehensive 
that  such  a step  might  produce  the  most  alarming  conse- 
quences in  their  present  critical  situation,  waited  upon 
Menou,  to  discourse  with  him  upon  the  business.  Nothing, 
however,  was  to  be  done  ; and  if  any  thing  could  aggravate 
the  baseness  of  the  transaction,  it  was  the  reasons  which 
Menou  chose  to  assign  for  it : he  felt  an  incompatibility  in 
their  dispositions  ; he  could  not  transact  business  with  gene- 
ral Dumas ; he  protested , on  his  honour , that  no  personal 
animosity  infiucnced  his  conduct.  This  was  surely  adding 
insult  to  oppression  : this  was  the  excuse  of  a child,  who 
throws  away  a toy  because  he  is  tired  of  it.  What  security 
is  there  for  the  very  existence  of  an  army,  if  its  chief  wan- 
tonly displace  meritorious  officers  from  “ incompatibility  of 
temper!”  How  like  a prating  gentlewoman  is  such  jar- 
gon ! 

Reynier,  however,  forbore  to  press  the  matter  further, 
because  Menou,  very  cavalierly,  offered  to  resign  his  com- 
mand. He  seemed/  indeed,  to  sport  with  the  safety 
of  the  whole  army,  placing  their  entire  welfare  and  the 
success  of  their  arms  as  mere  foils,  to  his  own  wanton 
caprices.  Reynier  had  always,  from  delicacy,  forborne  to 
represent  to  Menou  that,  commanding  the  army  only  ad 
interim , (for  his  authority  had  not  yet  been  sanctioned  by' 
the  French  government,)  it  ill  became  him  to  make  a change 
of  such  magnitude,  unless  in  a case  of  the  most  urgent  ne- 


352 


THE  LIFE  OF 


cessitv.  He  begged,  however,  that  he  would  explain  him- 
self to  Dumas,  and  to  make  up  the  breach  if  possible, 
either  bv  continuing  him  in  his  station  or  removing  him  to 
some  other  suitable  command.  Dumas,  who  was  far  from 
wishing  to  create  embarrassment  or  dissension,  retired  from 
the  station  of  chief  of  the  staff,  and  accepted  the  command 
of  the  provinces  of  Benisouef  and  Fayoum  : the  order  of 
the  day  announced  his  retreat,  and  contained  eulogiums  on 
his  conduct.  His  successor  was  general  Le  Grange  ; but 
Menou  only  appeared  to  repose  confidence  in  him,  for  he 
transacted  himself  even  the  minutest  duties  of  the  station. 

It  now  became  daily  more  evident  that  Menou  purposed 
to  form  a party  ; but  in  this  he  failed  ; and  finding,  that, 
although  the  most  perfect  discipline  prevailed  in  the  army, 
the  greater  part  of  the  officers  and  corps  were  dissatisfied 
with  him,  he  re.solved  to  make  himself  popular.  Accord- 
ingly, on  the  23d  September,  he  made  six  new  generals 
of  brigade  and  filled  up  all  the  vacancies  in  the  army.  Some 
of  the  officers,  preferring  to  remain  with  their  own  corps 
rather  than  be  advanced,  refused  the  promotion  ; but  they 
were  compelled  to  accept  their  new  rank.  It  was  evident 
that  in  doing  this  Menou  was  actuated  by  political  finesse ; 
for  though  the  persons  whom  he  advanced  were  men  that 
deserved  that  reward  for  eminent  services ; yet  Menou  was 
less  anxious,  in  reality,  to  remunerate  talent  than  to  crush 
envy  : he  whispered  to  himself,  that,  by  bestowing  favours, 
he  should,  in  effect,  destroy  any  lurking  enmity  towards 
himself ; or,  at  least,  should  those  very  persons  whom  he 
had  thus  distinguished,  prove  afterwards  in  any  way  ob- 
noxious to  his  views,  it  would  be  no  difficult  matter  to  fix 
the  popular  odium  on  them,  as  ungrateful  beings,  who  re- 
paid kindness  by  treachery.  He  well  knew  the  readiness 
with  which  the  human  feelings  rise  up  against  ingratitude  ; 
and,  therefore,  by  loading  those  whom  he  suspected  with 
benefits,  he,  at  least,  rendered  them,  if  not  active  friends, 
negative  enemies.  There  were,  indeed,  no  arts  of  dissimu- 
lation to  which  this  man  did  not  descend  : he  even  employ- 
ed spies  in  the  army,  tale-bearers,  to  fetch  and  carry  petty 
conversations  for  their  master  ! What  stronger  proof  need 
be  adduced  of  insincerity  of  conduct,  of  inward  condem- 
nation and  irresolute  feelings,  than  this  ? How  unlike  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


553 


great  man  who  had  led  the  French  army  to  the  shores  of 
Egypt ! how  unlike  the  generous,  manly  Kleber  ! 

The  same  self-determination,  which  invariably  character- 
ized all  the  actions  of  general  Menou,  was  equally  conspic- 
uous in  his  civil  administration  : it  had,  indeed,  a worthier 
object — the  comforts  of  the  army,  and  it  was  conducted 
with  the  most  perfect  self  disinterestedness  ; still,  however, 
it  was  impolitic  to  waste  the  resources  on  temporary,  and 
often  needless  objects.  The  finances,  to  an  invading  army, 
especially  to  an  army  situated  like  the  French,  at  an  im- 
mense distance  from  their  country,  with  no  means  of  con- 
veying supplies  over  land,  and  the  passage  by  sea  exposed 
to  imminent  and  almost  certain  dangers,  from  the  vast  su- 
periority of  our  navy  ; the  finances  to  such  an  army  were  of 
the  utmost  and  most  serious  importance,  and  any  thing  like 
a heedless  squandering  of  them  was  criminal.  To  rely  upon 
forced  contributions  in  a hostile  country  wTas  precarious  in 
the  extreme  : and  money,  which  is,  in  modern  times,  the 
sinews  of  war,  should  have  been  husbanded,  as  of  precious 
moment : this,  however,  Menou  did  not  do  to  the  extent 
he  ought  ; and  hence  flowed  another  source  of  embarrass- 
ment and  difficulty  to  the  army. 

At  the  time  of  Kleber’s  assassination  part  of  the  contri- 
bution in  money,  imposed  upon  the  inhabitants  of  Cairo, 
and  the  whole  of  the  contributions  in  merchandize,  remain- 
ed unpaid  ; these  were,  however,  afterwards,  collected  by 
Menou,  together  with  part  of  the  ordinary  territorial  im- 
posts. The  pay  of  the  troops  was  ordered  to  be  discharged 
regularly  and  without  deduction,  and  the  greater  part  of 
the  arrears  paid  up  ; funds  were  assigned  for  the  fortifica- 
tions, and  the  engineers  of  the  bridges  and  highways  re- 
ceived more  than  was  sufficient  to  continue  the  demolitions 
necessary  to  the  defence  of  Cairo  and  to  add  some  embel- 
lishments to  the  town.  Grants,  bounties,  an  augmenta- 
tion of  indemnity  for  ratios,  various  useless  expenses,  and 
the  immense  number  of  French  and  Turks  employed  in  the 
various  provinces  of  the  administration,  the  consequence  of 
a system  too  much  complicated,  by  degrees  raised  the  ex- 
penditure of  the  army  to  seventeen  or  eighteen  hundred 
thousand  francs  per  month  ; although  every  change  was 
announced  as  intending  to  reduce  the  expenses  of  Kleber’s 
administration,  which  did  not  exceed  thirteen  or  fourteen 

45 


354 


THE  LIFE  OF 


hundred  thousand  francs  ! This  is  another  instance  of  the 
determined  hostility  with  which  Menou  pursued  the  memo- 
ry of  K:eber. 

Very  large  receipts,  the  produce  of  the  new  duties,  were 
announced  in  the  orders  of  the  day,  in  which  general  Me- 
n u also  incessantly  repeated  his  engagement  to  maintain 
the  full  payment  of  the  troops  ; yet,  in  about  three  months, 
a!:  rhe  funds  were  expended  ! The  duties  on  merchandize, 
as  y et,  produced  little  ; the  territorial  imposts  could  not  be 
collected  till  after  the  inundation  : in  a short  time  money 
was  wanting.  The  Copts  were  ordered  to  furnish  a forc- 
ed loan,  for  which,  at  first,  they  were  promised  a mortgage 
on  the  contributions  in  arrear ; and  that  security  would 
have  produced  more  if  it  had  been  put  in  effect.  The  first 
money  gone,  new  wants  succeeded  ; and  the  Copts  fur- 
nished a second  loan.  It  might  be  prudent,  no  doubt,  to 
make  them  regorge  part  of  their  plunder : but  general  Kle- 
ber  regarded  the  Copts  as  a reserve  for  moments  of  great 
embarrassment ; and,  in  effect,  during  the  siege  of  Cairo, 
he  procured  from  them  all  the  money  he  wanted. 

The  reports  of  citizen  Esteve,  and  other  persons  charged 
with  the  direction  of  the  various  branches  of  the  administra- 
tion, points  out  with  precision  the  revenues  which  the  French 
army  might  have  drawn  from  Egypt  in  time  of  war. 

The  territorial  imposts,  after  Murad  Bey  oc-  Francs 
cupied  Said,  could  not  be  taken  higher  than 
twelve  millions,  including  the  impolitic  im- 
posts on  the  Sheiks,  vihich  the  French  were 
afterwards  compelled  to  receive  as  advances  on 
account  of  the  ordinary  imposts,  12,000,000 

The  yarious  indirect  duties  were  farmed  at 
about  three  millions  ; but  the  farmers  sustain- 
ing losses,  it  would  be  necessary  to  grant  them 
a reduction,  at  least  tin  commerce  should  revive,  3,000,000 

The  duties  on  corporations  and  national  bo- 
dies were  fixed,  by  an  ordinance,  at  two  mil- 
lions, but  oyglu  to  be  reduced  : by  means, 
however,  of  various  vexations,  these  duties 
might  produce,  2,000,000 

The  mint  ot  Cairo,  and  the  duties  for  stamp- 
ing gold  and  silver  articles  produced,  at  the 
most, 


500,000 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


355 


The  customs  might  produce,  in  time  of  war, 
if  the  commerce  with  Arabia  and  the  Greeks 
were  encouraged,  one  million  ; peace  would 
increase  this  revenue  to  many  millions,  1,000.000 

The  oussiehs  and  the  national  domains,  1,500,000 

The  miri  of  the  proprietors  and  the  tribute 
of  Murad  Bey,  1.000,000 

Total,  21,000.000 


The  contributions  in  kind  would  be  sufficient  for  the  or- 
dinary consumption  of  the  army  and  to  form  magazines  of 
reserve. 

The  sum  total  of  the  revenues  of  Egypt  might,  there- 
fore, amount  to  21,000,000  francs  per  annum,  or  1,750  000 
francs  per  month.  But  the  collection  of  these  revenues  de- 
pended on  the  internal  tranquillity  of  the  country,  which 
various  causes  might  disturb.  An  attack,  or  even  the 
menacing  attitude  of  an  enemy,  by  compelling  the  troops 
to  concentrate,  would  entirely  suspend  the  receipts  ; for 
throughout  the  east,  as  well  as  in  every  hostile  country,  it 
demands  a military  force  to  collect  the  contributions. 

It  was,  therefore,  an  essential  point  to  govern  the  expen- 
diture by  the  greatest  economy  ; so  that,  if  the  sources  of 
revenue  suddenly  failed,  there  might  always  be  a reserve 
found  for  the  wants  of  the  army.  But  none  of  these  con- 
siderations could  check  general  Menou  in  the  career  of  his 
innovations  nor  deter  him  from  an  augmentation  of  the  ex- 
penditure : he  easily  persuaded  himself,  with  that  overween- 
ing confidence  which  marked  his  character,  that  nothing, 
foreign  or  internal,  could  disturb  the  tranquillity  of  the 
country. 

In  order  thoroughly  to  comprehend  the  causes  of  those 
successes  which  the  English  gained  in  Egypt,  under  multi- 
plied disadvantages,  it  is  necessary  that  we  should  have  a 
correct  idea  of  the  state  of  the  French  army,  its  resources, 
and  the  talents  and  character  of  its  chief : for  though  it  is 
unanimously  confessed  that  British  valour  was  never  more 
signally  displayed  than  during  that  campaign,  yet  it  is  no  less 
certain  that  the  subsequent  success  arose  partly  from  the 
misconduct  of  our  enemies  : our  own  writers  on  the  sub- 
ject allow,  that  had  Menou  acted  with  that  effective  judg- 


356 


THE  LIFE  OF 


mcnt  which  was  expected,  the  probability  of  our  finally 
triumphing  would  have  been  highly  problematical.  It  must 
be  remembered,  that  a primary  inducement  with  the  British 
ministry  for  sending  an  army,  and  so  small  an  army,  into 
Egypt,  was  the  information  they  had  gained  from  the  inter- 
cepted letters  from  that  country  : by  them  it  appeared,  that 
the  French  were  in  a most  deplorable  condition,  without 
funds,  without  resources,  and  almost  without  a leader  ; 
dissensions  in  the  army,  and  a want  of  unanimity  among 
the  generals  ! hence  it  was  concluded  that  their  entire  ex- 
pulsion from  Egypt  would  be  a matter  of  no  difficulty.  But 
these  relations  were  greatly  exaggerated ; and  the  English 
army,  when  they  arrived  there,  found  their  antagonists  in  a 
state  well  calculated  to  dispute  the  point  with  a much  larger 
force  than  was  now  brought  against  them  : they  were  not, 
however,  dismayed,  though  they  could  entertain  but  few 
rational  hopes  of  ultimate  success:  they  advanced ; the  ene- 
my actually  made  those  very  dispositions  which  sir  Ralph 
Abercrombie  himself  would  have  dictated  could  he  have 
influenced  the  decisions  of  Menou  ! Such  advantages,  se- 
conded by  the  bravery  of  our  troops  and  the  judgment  of 
their  commanders,  led  to  those  happy  results,  which  are 
well  known  and  enthusiastically  remembered. 

To  explain,  therefore,  the  apparent  inconsistencies  of 
these  events,  and  to  advance  the  real  dignity  of  meritorious 
services  by  stripping  them  of  all  false  honours,  we  have 
thought  it  requisite  to  shew  thus  far  the  condition  of  the 
French  army  ; and  we  shall  now  add  a few  more  particulars 
of  its  operations  and  situation,  between  the  assassination  of 
Kleber  and  the  landing  of  the  English. 

The  innovations  of  general  Menou  ; his  conduct  towards 
various  individuals;  the  childish  declamations,  the  lessons 
of  morals  and  probity,  so  often  repeated  in  the  orders  of 
the  day,  which  had  the  appearance  of  being  addressed  to 
an  army  profligate  and  without  honour,  raised  an  almost 
universal  discontent.  The  inhabitants,  terrified  with  such 
incessant  innovation,  complained  that  a mussulman  general 
from  whom  they  had  reason  to  expect  so  much , compelled 
them  to  regret  the  loss  of  a Christian  general!  They  were 
accustomed,  under  the  government  of  the  Turks  and 

* This  man  actually  embraced  the  Mahometan  faith,  and  always  signed  himself 
Abdallah  J,  Menou  ! 


j 


NAPOLEON  BUONAf\RTE_ 
Mamelukes,  to  endure  all  the  caprice:  0f  their 


357 
masters,  and 


they  would  willingly  have  endured  as  nuch  from  Menn 
but  their  experience  had  taught  them  le  mildness  of  F ’ 
ropean  manners:  Buonaparte  and  Vie-  ' ijl1' 


predecessors  of  Menou,  had  conduct 
different  manner,  and  won  rather  than 
of  the  people. 

Some  idea  may  be  formed  of  the 
popular  odium  against  Menou  had  ris 


er>  the  immediate 
. emselves  in  a very 

,eated  the  affections 


F^ht  to  which  the 

bered  that  many  of  the  generals  propoh  m'bF  ^ 
trial,  while  others  thought  it  would  be  %te  prevail  upon 
general  Reynier  to  assume  the  commancL^inced  as  they 
were  that  Menou  was  wholly  unfit  for\  a third  party, 
more  moderate  than  either,  wished  only  t\  the  other  gene- 
rals should  unite  to  remo.nstrate  with  and  yise  him. 

This  was  a proposition  very  generally  Veded  to  ; and 
the  generals  were  preparing  to  wait  upon  k with  this  in- 
tention, on  the  26th  October,  when  the  arm  0f  an  officer 
from  Toulon,  with  despatches,  was  annouhd  to  them  : 
this,  of  course,  put  a momentary  stop  to  yir  designs  ; 
for  it  might  be  that  those  despatches  contaiiy  the  official 
nomination  of  some  other  officer  to  the  comr\pd  in  chief, 
or,  perhaps,  the  ratified  authority  of  Menou  :qeir  doubts 
and  hesitation,  however,  were  removed,  by  frning  that 
they  were  still  addressed  to  general  Kleber. 

Menou,  in  announcing  the  news  from  France  ^the  order 
of  the  day,  observed  that  dissensions  existed  in  ye  army  : 
this  was  at  once  a weak  and  dangerous  process,  ai\  it  seem- 
ed to  call  the  more  loudly  upon  the  generals  of\livision, 
Reynier,  Dumas,  Lanusse,  Beliard,  and  Verdier,p  goon 
with  their  intended  remonstrance  ; they,  according^  went, 
the  same  day,  to  his  quarters  : general  Menou  was  eipreme- 
ly  perplexed  by  the  visit.  In  this  interview  the  cCpiede- 
rated  generals  observed,  That,  having  constantly 'l  ved 
with  the  armies,  they  had  seen  nothing  but  union  and  the 
greatest  good-will  among  the  troops,  because  intrigues  had 
not  before  been  introduced  : that  the  army  of  the  east  en- 
joyed perfect  tranquillity  under  Buonaparte  and  Kleber: 
that  with  sorrow  they  perceived  the  germs  of  division 
arising  among  the  troops ; and  that,  in  searching  for  the 
cause,  they  found  it  in  his  conduct,  since  he  had  taken  the 
command : that  the  surest  means  of  restoring  harmony  would 


358 


HE  LIFE  OF 


to  recal  some  ordp,  contrary  to  the  general  interest ; to 
Govern  himself,  in  by  the  laws  of  the  republic  with 

1 ' 1 of  his  chief  peers  ; and,  above  ah  things,  to  banish 

thep  o Thq  f welt  on  the  mischief  of  innovations 
all  intr/^  ’anc^  particularly,  of  some  of  his  ordi- 
m gent  ’ u’r  J]tb  him  that  he  could  not,  in  any  case, 
nances.  ^ abdfthe  French  laws  : that  if  he  represent- 
place  lim  nm(Jis  to  the  civil  administration  of  Egypt, 
ed  the  go^  arJno  more  than  their  general  in  chief;  and 
-m  J quality,  a sufficiently  extensive  latitude 
to  do  goon’,  tip  Egypt  was  to  declared  a colony  of 
France,  the  gc/nment  would  determine  upon  the  form  of 
its  administrate  and  that  this  should  be  a motive  to  him 
not  to  be  imjent  t0  innovate  : they  insisted  that  it  was 
imprudent  in  a publicly  to  proclaim  Egypt  a colony,  be- 
fore the  govenent  had  declared  its  intentions  on  that  sub- 
ject : they  cP  to  his  mind  the  policy  of  Buonaparte  and 
Kleber  on  -lt  delicate  point,  and  endeavoured  to  make 
him  feel  vvl  inquietude  that  name  would  give  the  Turks  : 
they  invitedim  to  follow  the  example  of  the  generals  his 
predecessor  who  had  always  been  sparing  of  innovation, 
that  the  habitants  might  not  be  alarmed  and  disgusted  at  , 
too  preciptte  changes : to  express  his  orders  of  the  day  in  ! 
more  suiple  language,  and  to  spare  his  declamations  on 
morals  a>i  probity.,  which  seemed  to  say,  that  the  army  was 
no  bette' than  a horde  of  robbers,  whom  Buonaparte  and 
Kleber  ad  been  unable  to  discipline  : they  also  demanded 
that  he-vould  not  correspond  directly  with  the  subaltern 
officers  which  was  contrary  to  military  usage  : they  coun- 
selled ini  not  to  make,  in  future,  any  promotions,  except 
the  ap  ointments  which  are  left  to  the  discretion  of  the  gen- 
eral ii  chief  on  the  field  of  battle,  and  to  fiil  vacancies  : the 
generals  of  division  also  observed  to  him,  that  he  ought,  for 
the/good  of  the  service,  and  not  to  check  the  zeal  of  the 
pulliic  functionaries,  to  abstain  from  discharging  persons  in  ■ 
office  confided  to  them  by  the  government,  without  bringing 
them  to  a court  martial.  They  spoke  to  him  of  the  sub- 
scription for  a monument  to  Kleber,  and  of  the  ill  effects  that 
roust  be  produced  by  his  refusal  not  only  to  join  the  sub- 
scription, but  even  to  announce  it  in  the  order  of  the  day 
at  the  same  time  with  Desaix’s. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


359 


Menou  heard  all  this  with  various  emotions.  To  the  last 
mentioned  remonstrance,  he  declared  on  his  honour  (a  pledge 
he  carelessly  violated)  that  no  one  had  ever  spoken  to  him 
on  the  subject ! But  this  shameless  falsehood  was  detected 
to  his  face,  by  naming  those  who  had  heard  his  refusal. 
Thus  caught,  he  promised  to  mention  the  subscription  in 
the  order  of  the  day.  He  acknowledged  the  increase  of  the 
price  of  provisions,  occasioned  by  his  new  duties,  and 
promised  to  put  the  troops  in  a condition  to  procure  pro- 
visions with  their  indemnity. 

The  generals  cautiously  and  delicately  forbore  to  com- 
plain to  him  of  matters  personal  to  themselves.  The  dis- 
cussion was  a little  violent  on  some  topics  : general  Menou 
was  embarrassed,  and  made  only  vague  replies.  At  length 
he  demanded  a day  for  consideration,  declaring  that  he 
would  give  his  answer  in  writing.  He  did  not  send  the 
answer  ; but,  the  next  day,  took  occasion  to  say,  to  one  of 
the  generals,  that  he  found  their  representations  just,  but 
desired  time  to  return  gradually  to  former  measures,  that  he 
might  not  be  convicted  of  too  much  instability. 

In  this  last  request  he  undoubtedly  evinced  a just  con- 
ception of  the  situation  of  a general  in  chief.  Such  is  the  na- 
ture of  the  human  mind,  that  error  itself  cannot  be  renounc- 
ed by  men,  who  are  placed  in  ostensible  situations,  with- 
out danger  : nay,  it  is  often  of  greater  importance  to  persist 
in  some  errors,  than  to  unfix  the  opinion  of  inferiors  by 
what  might  be  deemed  wavering,  fickle,  and  uncertain  con- 
duct. There  is  nothing  which  so  effectually  destroys  con- 
fidence as  perpetual  variation  in  the  conduct  of  those  whom 
you  are  called  upon  to  confide  in.  It  is  a natural  presump- 
tion, that  measures  which  are  duly  premeditated,  which  are 
gradually  matured,  which  are  deliberately  weighed,  should 
be  permanent  and  fixed  : it  is  equally  natural  to  suppose 
that  those  which  are  eternally  altering  have  been  adopted  at 
random,  and  executed  with  precipitancy  ; such  measures 
can  effect  no  good  : and  a frequent  repetition  of  similar  in- 
certitude of  conduct,  tends,  infallibly,  to  generate  mis- 
trust, suspicion,  and  contempt.  Whatever,  therefore,  may' 
have  been  the  defects  of  the  plans  pursued  by  Menou,  he 
was,  undoubtedly',  right  in  preferring  to  ameliorate  or  abol- 
ish them  by  gradual  improvements,  so  that  new  ones  might 
supersede  those  which  were  erroneous  almost  insensibly, 


360 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  without  giving  that  shock  to  the  minds  of  people  which 
is  invariably  attendant  upon  too  quick  and  too  constant  a 
revolution  of  things.  We  are  not,  indeed,  fully  convinced 
that  such  were  the  politic  motives  of  Menou  ; it  is  much 
more  probable  that  the  gratification  of  personal  pride  was 
what  he  chiefly  looked  to  ; and  it  was  more  to  prevent  the 
appearance  of  being  humbled  by  a decisive  compliance  with 
the  will  of  the  generals,  than  any  deep  conviction  which  he 
felt  of  the  prudence  of  his  measures.  Be  the  cause,  how- 
ever, what  it  might,  the  beneficial  results  were  not  dimin- 
ished ; and  it  too  often  happens  in  this  world  that  good  is 
educed  from  the  operation  of  weak  or  bad  passions. 

Towards  the  close  of  October  the  generals  had  another 
interview  with  Menou,  previous  to  the  funeral  ceremonies 
in  honour  of  Desaix  : he  then  more  explicitly  confessed  the 
necessity  of  the  changes  demanded  by  the  generals  ; and 
said,  that  he  had  already  given  orders  that  some  of  their 
suggestions  should  be  carried  into  effect.  He  again  prom- 
ised to  conduct  himself  according  to  the  representations 
that  had  been  made  to  him. 

The  troops  were  assembled  on  the  31st  October,  to  ren- 
der a funeral  homage  to  general  Desaix.*  The  ceremony 
passed  with  profound  silence ; but  it  required  a com- 
mander in  chief  of  a soldier-like  character,  to  offer,  in  a 
worthy  manner,  to  a brave  man  the  expression  of  the  re- 
grets of  his  brave  army.  The  place  renewed  the  sentiment 
of  the  double  loss  they  had  sustained  : it  was  in  sight  of 
Heliopolis,  and  of  the  field  of  battle  in  which  Kleber  had 
regained  Egypt,  that  the  cenotaph  was  erected.  It  is  painful 
to  relate,  that  the  jealousy  and  hatred  of  Menou  restrained 
the  feelings  of  the  troops.  The  generals  chose  rather  to  be 
silent  than  to  exasperate  the  minds  of  the  soldiers,  already 
too  much  moved. 

About  this  time  general  Menou  caused  offers  to  be  made 
to  generals  Dumas,  Lanusse,  and  Vcrdier,  ol  passports  for 
France  ; but,  zealous  for  the  preservation  of  Egypt,  and 
seeing  the  army  in  feeble  hands,  they  hoped  still  to  be  use- 
ful, and  declined  the  offer. 

Early  in  November  an  officer  arrived  from  France.  Pri- 
vate letters  announced  that  Menou  was  confirmed  in  the 

* Oui1  readers  will  remember  tliat  he  fell  in  the  battle  of  Marengo  on  the  very 
wrae  day  (June  14)  that  Kleber  was  assassinated  in  Egypt. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


361 


command ; this  was  officially  confirmed  a few  days  after, 
by  the  arrival  of  another  officer,  who  brought  him  his  bre- 
vet of  commander  in  chief. 

On  the  same  day  they  had  another  interview  with  Menou, 
Who  again  promised  to  adopt  the  changes  proposed  to  him  ; 
but  still  expressed  the  desire  to  introduce  them  successively. 

Such  were  the  feelings  of  the  army  towards  their  head  ; 
they  regarded  him  with  no  friendly  nor  faithful  eye  : they 
had  little  confidence  in  his  measures  and  less  in  his  abilities. 
The  term,  however,  wa^>  passed  in  which  he  was  to  be  con- 
sidered as  a commander  ad  interim  : the  government  of  his 
country  had  nominated  him  the  head ; and,  as  such,  it  was 
now  incumbent  on  the  soldiers  and  officers  to  shew  him 
obedience,  except  in  any  case  which  might  be  considered 
as  manifestly  injurious  to  the  service.  Yet  it  was  a forced 
obedience  ; and  history  too  strongly  proves,  that  an  army, 
fighting  under  a commander  unbeioved,  fights  without 
courage  and  without  spirit. 

In  this  disgust,  which  the  army  felt  towards  Menou, 
strict  impartiality  may,  perhaps,  deduct  something  from  the 
charge  of  the  latter.  It  is  to  be  considered  that  Menou  stood 
s.  in  a situation  that  necessarily  provoked  comparison  ; he 
succeeded  two  great  men  who  had  proved  themselves  emi- 
nently conspicuous  in  their  military  talents  : he  had  suc- 
ceeded Buonaparte,  unquestionably  the  greatest  man  of  the 
present,  or  perhaps  of  any  age  ; and  he  had  succeeded  Kle- 
ber,  a brave  and  gallant  general,  who  was,  perhaps,  as 
much  beloved  by  the  soldiery  as  the  former  was  admired 
and  feared.  The  defects  of  nature  are  not  to  be  retorted 
upon  an  individual,  except  when  he  thrusts  himself,  un- 
called, into  situations  which  call  in  particular  for  the  exer- 
cise of  those  very  parts  he  is  deficient  in  : Menou  could  be 
compared  neither  to  Buonaparte,  nor  Kieber  : he  neither 
had  the  promptitude,  the  policy,  nor  grandeur  of  design 
which  belonged  to  the  former ; and  he  was  far  below  the 
, latter  in  magnanimity  of  character  and  generosity  of  soul. 
Yet  he  Was  placed  in  such  circumstances,  as  unavoidably", 
impelled  those  about  him  to  a comparison : but  it  may,  also, 
be  said,  that  into  these  circumstances  he  did  not  voluntarily 
. enter ; the  command  ad  interim  was,  in  a manner,  forced  up- 
on him,  his  scruples  were  overweighed,  and  the  safety  of 
the  army  represented  as  being  almost  dependent  upon  his 

46 


362 


THE  LIFE  OF 


acceptance  of  its  command.  Perhaps,  indeed,  those  gen- 
erals who  urged  him  to  this  step  were  fully  aware  of  its  ac- 
cidental responsibilities ; and,  when  they  pursued  Menou 
with  invective  and  censure,  they  only  did  what  they  had 
previously  anticipated.  Without,  however,  endeavouring, 
or  even  wishing,  to  defend  all  the  extravagant  and  capricious 
actions  of  this  general,  we  have  merely  ventured  to  offer  a 
probable  apology  for  some  of  the  obloquy  which  has  been 
so  liberally  heaped  upon  him. 

While  these  dissensions  prevailed  in  the  French  army, 
the  grand  vizier  was  at  Jaffa,  (where  he  had  remained  since 
his  retreat  from  Heliopolis)  with  ten  or  twelve  thousand  men, 
including  horse  and  foot.  The  fortifications  of  this  place 
had  been  repaired  by  some  English  engineers,  as  well  as 
the  breach  at  El-Arish.  He  was,  however,  in  no  condi- 
tion to  march,  though  he  continually  asserted  that  it  was  his 
intention  to  proceed  with  offensive  operations ; this,  how- 
ever,  was  merely  to  inspirit  and  connect  his  forces.  He  re- 
ceived some  reinforcements,  but  these  were  balanced  by 
desertions ; and  the  plague,  which  prevailed  in  his  army, 
continually  reduced  his  numbers.  His  troops  had  not  yet 
forgotten  their  retreat  from  Heliopolis  ; and  he  was,  be- 
sides, in  open  quarrel  with  the  bashaw  Ghezzar,  who  com- 
manded a more  numerous  army  : the  greatest  dearth  af- 
flicted Palestine,  the  only  place  under  his  control,  and, 
consequently,  the  boundary  of  his  resources.  No  supplies 
were  to  be  procured  from  the  inhabitants  of  the  villages ; 
and  he  was,  at  length,  constrained  to  import  from  Europe, 
under  numerous  disadvantages,  the  subsistence  for  his  ar- 
my ; a reinforcement  of  10,000  men,  assembled  at  Aleppo, 
was  recalled,  to  act  against  Paswan  Oglou,  who,  having- 
raised  himself  into  popularity  by.  his  opposition  to  the  im- 
posts of  the  government,  was  in  formidable  rebellion  against 
the  Porte. 

Receiving  little  money  from  Constantinople,  the  vizier 
attempted,  in  December,  to  raise  the  value  of  the  coin,  to 
provide  pay  for  his  troops,  but  the  army  revolted,  and  it 
was  with  difficulty  he  pacified  and  retained  them  under  his 
standard. 

In  the  midst  of  these  difficulties,  and  finding  it  impossi- 
ble to  act  without  an  ally,  he  demanded  aid  from  the  Eng- 
lish. Part  of  the  Eqglish  army  appeared  off  Jaffa,  towards 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


363 


the  latter  end  of  December,  but  were  prevented  from  land- 
ing, by  the  apprehensions  of  the  plague,  which  w s making 
great  ravages  in  the  vizier’s  army.  They,  there! ore,  sail- 
ed for  Rhodes  and  the  Gulf  of  Maori,  to  finish  their  pre- 
parations for  the  campaign. 

About  the  middle  of  December  the  vizier  received  from 
Constantinople  the  plan  of  the  campaign,  and  orders  to  act 
in  concert  with  the  English  generals.  The  wisdom  of  this 
policy,  however,  in  appearing  to  be  particularly  connected 
with  the  vizier,  may  reasonably  be  doubted  ; since,  by 
this  measure,  they  forfeited  the  friendship  of  the  Mame- 
lukes, a brave,  powerful,  and  warlike  race,  who  were  thus 
induced  to  ally  themselves  more  intimately  with  the  French. 
General  Koehler,  or  Keller,  (for  it  is  spelt  both  ways,)  with 
some  officers  of  the  line,  and  about  forty  privates,  were 
about  this  time  engaged  in  disciplining  the  vizier’s  troops. 

The  spies  of  the  French  employed  in  Syria,  and  the 
Greek  vessels  arriving  at  the  ports  of  Egypt,  gave  informa- 
tion, about  the  10th  of  January,  to  general  Menou,  of 
these  hostile  dispositions.  Certainly  there  was  every  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  English  meditated  a serious  descent 
upon  Egypt ; yet  Menou  could  not  be  persuaded  but  that 
the  vizier  only  would  attempt  it;  and  that  the  English,  fore- 
seeing the  partition  of  the  Ottoman  empire,  would  wish  to 
have  their  share,  would  establish  themselves  at  Rhodes,  and 
would  thus  be  possessed  of  the  Archipelago. 

A detachment  of  troops,  however,  quartered  in  Upper 
Egypt,  received  orders  to  march  to  Benezouff,  and  hold 
themselves  in  readiness  to  proceed  to  Cairo.  Two  frig- 
ates, which  entered  the  port  of  Alexandria  on  the  3d  of  Feb- 
ruary, with  300  conscripts,  a company  of  artillery  and  am- 
munition, brought  more  certain  intelligence  of  the'  designs 
of  the  enemy  against  Egypt  ; it  also  brought  instructions 
from  the  French  government  for  its  defence,  and  announced 
the  sending  of  more  considerable  succours.  Agreeably  to 
this  intelligence,  Menou,  afterwards,  occupied  Rahmanieh, 
that,  by  securing  the  Delta,  he  might  facilitate  the  landing 
of  Gantheaume,  with  two  frigates,  and  carrying  a reinforce- 
ment of  not  less  than  5,000  men,  which  could  not,  on  the 
arrival  of  the  English  fleet,  be  attempted  at  Alexandria. 

Notwithstanding  the  extensive  preparations  of  the  Eng- 
lish, in  consequence  of  the  urgent  solicitations  of  the  Porte, 


364 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  the  total  incapacity  of  that  power  to  resist,  by  itself,  the 
power  of  France,  the  Turks  were,  nevertheless,  extremely 
unwilling  to  engage  vigorously  in  active  measures  : many 
reasons  concurred  to  produce  this  irresolution.  They  were 
considerably  awed  bv  the  threats  of  the  emperor  Paul : this 
madman,  at  the  evident  instigation  of  Buonaparte,  seemed 
determined  to  over-run  the  Ottoman  empire  ; and  the  Turks 
were  anxious  to  avoid,  what  they  dreaded  beyond  any  thing 
else,  the  appearance  of  a Russian  army. 

Again  ; the  very  appearance  of  the  English,  though  so 
much  desired  and  so  much  needed,  now  operated  as  a cause 
of  their  indecision  : the  forces  of  this  country  were  regard- 
ed with  suspicion,  and  the  dread  of  the  prospective  superi- 
ority of  the  English  nearly  equalled  the  apprehension  with 
which  the  success  of  the  French  was  regarded  ; for,  in  ei- 
ther case,  Egypt  might,  eventually,  be  subjected  to  the 
yoke  of  the  victorious  invader.  This  apprehension  had, 
undoubtedly,  a just  foundation  ; history  is  full  of  truth  up- 
on this  subject.  How  many  instances  are  upon  record, 
where  weak  states,  calling  in  the  aid  of  a superior  one,  have, 
finally,  been  subjected  by  those  whom  they  invited  as  their 
allies  and  defenders ! 

The  grand  vizier  had,  besides,  to  counteract  the  in- 
trigues of  the  captain  Bashaw,  the  uniform  advocate  of  the 
French,  and  whose  ascendancy  was  predominant  in  the  se- 
raglio. 

It  would  seem  as  if  the  utmost  fatuity  was  destined  to 
mix  itself  with  every  action  and  every  resolution  of  Me- 
nou.  The  vizier  thought  that  the  best  mode  of  counter- 
acting the  intrigues  of  the  captain  Bashaw  would  be  to  con- 
clude a peace  with  Menou,  which  should  have  for  its  ob- 
ject the  evacuation  of  Egypt.  This  event,  so  much  wish- 
ed, had  already  been  upon  the  point  of  execution  by  the 
treaty  of  El- Arish,  when  its  rupture,  by  the  English,  ren- 
dered it  abortive : a circumstance  which,  doubtless,  tend- 
ed to  render  the  British  army  not  only  suspected  but  less 
respected. 

A means  was,  luckily,  open  to  the  vizier  of  commencing 
this  secret  negotiation  with  Menou,  without,  at  the  same 
time,  awakening  the  suspicion  or  exciting  the  resentment 
of  the  English.  Murad  Bey  had  been  encouraged,  by  Kle- 
ber,  to  correspond  with  Ibrahim  Bey,  as  a medium  of  as- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


365 


certaining  the  plans  and  dispositions  of  the  allies ; this  was, 
therefore,  the  channel  through  which  the  vizier  proposed  to 
effect  his  scheme  : he,  therefore,  requested  Murad,  through 
Ibrahim  Bey,  to  offer  himself  as  a mediator  between  the 
Turks  and  French.  Murad  Bey,  in  fact,  hated  the  Turks 
and  dreaded  their  vengeance  ; but  it  was  his  policy  to  keep 
well  with  all  parties  : his  fate  was  united  with  that  of  the 
French  army. 

The  proposal  of  mediation  to  Murad  Bey  happened  at  the 
time  when  he  was  accustomed  to  send  the  tribute  for  his 
provinces  to  Cairo.  He  accepted  the  instructions  of  the 
vizier,  and  entrusted  their  conveyance  to  Cairo  to  the  hands 
of  Osman  Bey  Bardisi:  this  last  had  an  interview  with 
Menou  on  the  19th  of  February  : he  laid  before  that  gene- 
ral a statement  of  the  English  forces,  together  with  the 
plan  of  the  approaching  campaign.  The  English  army,  he 
affirmed,  amounted  to  eighteen  thousand  men  they  were 
to  attempt  a landing,  in  conjunction  with  the  captain  Ba- 
shaw, while  the  vizier  crossed  the  desert,  and  the  English 
fleet,  with  troops  from  India,  should  arrive  at  Suez.  He 
produced  the  letters  which  Ibrahim  wrote  to  Murad  on  the 
part  of  the  grand  vizier,  who  charged  Murad  to  represent 
to  general  Menou,  that  the  French  could  scarcely  resist  the 
combined  attack  of  three  armies ; that  even  the  victories  of 
the  French  would  be  gained  by  losses,  in  their  circumstances 
impossible  to  repair ; and  that  they  must  sink  under  new 
efforts.  Murad  Bey,  on  his  own  part,  prayed  general  Me- 
nou not  to  forget  his  interests  if  he  should  treat ; but  offer- 
ed, in  the  contrary  case,  to  send  him  succours,  and  to  aid 
him  with  all  his  resources. 

Never  was  want  of  policy,  never  was  want  of  common 
sense,  more  grossly  betrayed,  than  in  the  conduct  of  Menou 
on  the  present  occasion.  Instead  of  accepting  the  proffered 
assistance  of  Murad  Bey;  instead  of  availing  himself  of 
offers  to  treat,  and,  by  dissensions  between  the  English  and 
the  Turks,  weakening  both  parties,  he  comported  himself 
towards  Osman  Bey  with  coolness  and  abruptness ; he  pre- 
tended not  to  credit  the  possibility  of  executing  the  plan  of 
the  campaign  laid  before  him  ; he  seemed  rather  to  consid- 

* This  was  much  exaggerated,  we  mean  as  to  the  effective  force  ; hut  we  shall 
have  occasion  to  mention  the  real  strength,  and  to  shew  the  wilful  misrepresentations 
of  Reynier  on  this  subject. 


366 


THE  LIFE  OF 


er  Osman  as  a spy,  deputed  to  investigate  the  condition  of 
the  French  army,  than  as  the  ambassador  of  a mediatorial 
power : lie  declared  that  he  had  no  need  of  the  aid  nor  of  the 
mediation  of  any  person  : and  observed  that  Murad  Bey 
would  do  well  to  remain  tranquil  in  the  provinces  ceded  to 
him  and  forbear  all  correspondence  with  Syria. 

To  other  missions,  with  which  Osman  Bey  was  charged, 
Menou  shewed  the  same  intemperate  reception,  and  the  for- 
mer was  extremely  perplexed  as  to  what  measures  to  pur- 
sue. He  related  the  circumstances  of  his  interview  to  ge- 
neral Dumas  and  the  inspector,  Daure,  with  whom  he  was 
more  particularly  acquainted : both  these  generals  endea- 
voured to  convince  him  that  he  ought  to  take  no  offence  at 
a few  harsh  words  falling  from  Menou  ; and  said,  that  he 
might  assure  Murad  Bey  of  the  esteem  and  attachment  of 
all  the  French. 

Osman  remained  at  Cairo  to  take  back  despatches  from 
general  Menou.  On  the  news  of  the  appearance  of  the  Eng- 
lish fleet  in  the  road  of  Aboukir,  he  repeated  Murad’s  offers, 
to  strengthen  the  French  army  with  all  his  resources  ; but 
he  received  only  evasive  answers,  and  was,  soon  afterwards, 
ordered  to  quit  Cairo  and  return  to  Murad  Bey.  Thus 
terminated  the  overtures  towards  a negotiation,  which, 
had  it  been  skilfully  managed,  might  have  proved  of  the 
greatest  importance  to  the  French.  Had  Buonaparte  been 
at  that  time  at  the  head  of  the  Egyptian  army,  what  a dif- 
ferent turn  would,  probably,  have  been  given  to  its  affairs  ! 
That  consummate  general  and  able  politician  would  have 
seen  at  once  the  obvious  advantage  of  such  overtures,  and 
would  have  exerted  all  his  means  to  procure  a division  be- 
tween the  English  and  the  Turks,  even  though  he  might 
not  have  quitted  Egypt ; which,  as  it  was  his  favourite 
scheme,  it  is  probable  he  would  have  endeavoured  to  obvi- 
ate by  delays  and  obstacles. 

During  the  time  we  are  now  speaking  of,  the  plague 
shewed  itself  at  Cairo  and  in  many  of  the  neighbouring  vil- 
lages ; at  the  same  time  it  broke  out  in  Upper  Egypt.  The 
finances  were  collected  by  force,  the  military  chest  was 
nearly  exhausted,  and  the  magazines  were  unprovided  with 
corn,  of  which  there  had  been  a scarcity  among  the  French 
since  the  death  of  Kleber  : it  was,  therefore,  with  conside- 
rable pleasure  that  they  saw  two  ships  arrive  in  the  port  of 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


367 


Alexandria,  from  France,  on  the  1st  of  March.  La  Rege- 
neree*  brought  two  hundred  men,  of  the  51st  demi-brigade, 
a company  of  artillery,  and  ammunition ; the  brig  La  Lodi 
communicated  the  satisfactory  intelligence  of  Gantheaume’s 
squadron,  with  the  promised  reinforcements. 

All  eyes  were  now  anxiously  turned  towards  Egypt:  two 
of  the  most  powerful  of  European  nations  were  contending 
on  its  shores  for  the  possession  of  the  east ; on  whichever 
side  the  balance  might  incline,  the  event  was  important, 
not  only  to  England  and  France,  but  to  the  whole  civilized 
world : yet  England  could  not  look  on  without  unusual 
interest.  It  had,  all  along,  been  the  policy  of  Buonaparte 
to  aim  at  the  commerce  of  England  ; hoping  that,  if  he 
could  paralyze  that,  he  might,  finally,  succeed  in  subju- 
gating the  realm.  It  remains,  however,  a problem  with 
many  of  our  modern  politicians,  whether  we  need  depend 
at  all,  as  a nation,  upon  foreign  trade  : but  those  who  were 
not  of  this  opinion  waited,  in  av/ful  suspense,  the  termina- 
tion of  a contest  which  would,  probably,  decide  the  exist- 
ence of  the  most  important  of  our  commercial  possessions. 
Securely  and  quietly  possessed  of  Egypt,  Buonaparte  might 
there  organize  the  means  of  disturbing  our  East  India  ter- 
ritories, and,  perhaps,  of  finally  driving  us  from  thence,  by 
inciting  the  surrounding  states  to  hostilities  and  insurrec- 
tions. Having  no  use  for  a navy,  he  would  transport  his 
forces  over  land ; previously  acquiring,  by  negotiation,  the 
amity  and  concurrence  of  those  states,  whose  country  he 
must  pass  through.  It  was,  indeed,  a gigantic  plan,  but 
neither  beyond  the  comprehension  of  the  hero  who  con- 
ceived it,  nor  removed  so  far  from  possibility  as  to  deter 
his  enterprising  genius  from  attempting  it : it  must,  how- 
ever, have  been  a work  of  time,  and,  perhaps,  might,  ulti- 
mately, have  failed  ; yet  the  probability  of  its  success,  nay, 
the  very  contemplation  of  such  a scheme,  was  sufficient  to 

* It  may,  perhaps,  excite  some  surprise,  that  a French  frigate  should  reach  Alex- 
andria when  our  ships  were  covering  the  Mediterranean  ; one  thing  was,  that  the 
English  vessels,  which  had  been  blockading  this  port,  were  gone  to  join  the  fleet  under 
lord  Keith  in  the  hay  of  Aboukir.  However,  it  is  a fact,  that  La  Kegeneree,  finding 
herself,  unexpectedly,  in  the  midst  of  the  English  fleet-  so  completely  disguised  her- 
self that  she  continued  with  it  unsuspected:  this  she  did  a whole  day,  answering  the 
various  signals  made,  without  exciting  the  smallest  suspicion  : on  the  following  morning 
she  stood  in  for  Alexandria,  and,  hoisting  French  colours,  proved,  unequivocally,  her 
natiou  ! We  agree  with  sir  Robert  Wilson,  that  this  is  an  honourable  anecdote  to  the 
credit  of  the  French  captain  of  La  ltegeneree,  and  we  feel  pleasure  in  recording  it- 


368 


THE  LIFE  OF 


alarm  those  whose  interests  were  intimately  connected  with 
its  ultimate  decision. 

England,  in  the  contest  which  she  thus  undertook,  had 
many  difficulties,  proportioned  to  the  magnitude  of  the  ob- 
ject, to  surmount.  The  vizier,  with  his  usual  irresolution, 
yet  debated  on  the  propriety  of  co-operation ; while  the  cap- 
tain bashaw,  who  was  at  Constantinople  with  part  of  his 
fleet,  inclined  to  treat  with  the  enemy.  The  English  tak- 
ing the  unpopular  side,  that  of  the  government,  still  less 
was  to  be  hoped  from  the  countenance  and  support  of  the 
people,  whom  the  French  had  long  flattered  with  the  idea 
of  freedom  and  independence.  Nor  were  these  the  only  ob- 
stacles : this  expedition  had  to  contend  with  an  army,  ha- 
bituated to  the  country,  respected,  at  least,  if  not  beloved, 
by  the  inhabitants,  and  flushed  with  reputation  and  suc- 
cess : an  army  inured  to  danger,  aware  of  the  importance 
of  Egypt  to  their  government,  determined  to  defend  the 
possession  of  it : and  encouraged  in  this  determination,  no 
less  by  the  assurance  of  speedily  receiving  effectual  suc- 
cours, than  by  the  promise  of  reward  and  love  of  glory. 

The  English  fleet,  ships  of  war  of  various  kinds,  boats 
and  transports,  having  set  sail  from  Malta,  10th  of  Decem- 
ber, had  arrived  at  Marmorice,  on  the  coast  of  Caramania, 
on  the  28th  of  December,  and  had  captured  on  its  passage 
a vessel,  bound  from  Alexandria  to  Marseilles,  from  which 
some  information  was  acquired  respecting  the  French  force 
at  Alexandria.  At  Marmorice  the  whole  army  was  alter- 
nately put  on  shore,  paraded,  and  refreshed  ; and  was  joined 
by  a convoy  of  Greeks  and  Turks,  who,  however,  deserted 
during  the  strong  westerly  gales,  on  the  passage  to  Aboukir, 
where  the  English  arrived  on  the  2d  of  March.  Too  much 
of  the  day  of  their  arrival  had  elapsed  to  admit  of  the  land- 
ing being  effected  before  the  approach  of  night ; and  an  un- 
fortunate succession  of  strong  northerly  gales,  attended  by  1 
a heavy  swell,  augmenting  the  difficulties  of  a coast  natur- 
ally dangerous,  rendered  it,  till  the  8th,  impossible  to  dis- 
embark. Though  it  was  not  originally  intended  to  have 
commenced  operations  on  the  side  of  Alexandria,  the  long 
delay  of  the  fleet  at  Marmorice  for  the  vain  purpose  of 
securing  a reinforcement  of  Greeks  and  Turks,  induced 
the  general  to  change  his  opinion  and  to  proceed  at  this 
time. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


369 


From  the  time  of  the  arrival  of  the  English  at  Aboukir* 
to  their  landing,  they  had  the  mortification  of  seeing  the 
scattered  divisions  of  the  French  army  marching  daily  along 
the  beach  into  that  fort,  and  batteries  erected  on  the  sand- 
hills to  oppose  their  disembarkation.  On  the  evening  of 
March  7th,  the  wind  changing  to  the  northward,  and  the 
sea  becoming  more  calm,  the  general  was  enabled  to  re- 
; connoitre  the  shore,  and  determine  on  the  spot  for  landing : 
while  sir  Sidney  Smith,  who  had  been  dispatched  to  lake 
! Maadie,  in  three  armed  launches,  to  ascertain  some  points, 
the  possession  of  which  might  be  of  service,  having  assailed 
a battery,  taken  a blockhouse,  defended  by  forty  men, 
and  boarded  a guard-boat  at  the  entrance  of  Aboukir  lake, 
returned  with  a chief  of  brigade  captive,  and  an  ass  with  its 
driver,  to  the  unspeakable  amusement  of  the  whole  fleet. 
Trivial  as  this  event  may  appear,  its  effect  on  the  army  was 
electric  ; every  man  wished  to  have  been  of  the  party,  and 
looked  forward  to  the  morning  with  emulation.  That 
morning  came,  so  big  with  fate  to  many  of  our  gallant  coun- 
trymen, who  breathed  their  last  on  the  parched  shores  of 
Egypt  in  defence  of  their  country. 

h ~ 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

1' 

A 

The  British  army  were  in  want  of  many  comforts  ; but, 
what  was  still  more  important,  they  were  in  total  want  of 
: correct  information  respecting  Egypt.  Not  a map  to  be 
depended  upon  could  be  procured,  and  the  best  draught, 

it  1 

’Aboukir,  is  a small  port,  E N.  E.  of  Alexandria;  the  interval  along  the  coast  is 
; rocky  and  dangerous.  Though  the  Kosetta  branch  of  the  Nile  is  navigable  to  small 
vessels,  yet  none,  of  force  sufficient  to  cover  a landing,  can  approach  it  The  Delta 
jcoast  is  shoal  to  the  Damietta  branch  which  admits  of  vessels  of  great  burthen,  but  not 
sufficient  to  obtain  a footing  against  any  well  directed  resistance;  farther  along  the 
| coast,  to  Jaffa  and  Acre,  it  is  worse.  The  lake  Mareotis,  extending  along  the  south 
side  of  the  peninsula  of  Aboukir,  was  the  ancient  mouth  of  the  Nile  by  Canopus.  The 
h t sea  penetrating,  without  resistance,  into  the  bed  forsaken  by  the  Nile,  enlarged  it 
. more  and  more  into  avast  lake,  and  still  continues  to  enlarge  it;  insomuch,  that  the 
sthmus  which  unites  Aboukir  to  the  continent,  and  along  which  the  canal  is  carried, 
i which  furnishes  water  to  Alexandria,  is  threatened  with  final  ruin.  For  the  defence 
of  this  isthmus,  the  Arabian  princes,  the  caliphs,  set  about  forming  a mound,  or  dyke, 

tjf  which,  however,  traces  are  only  to  be  found  in  two  places.  It  is  conjectured,  either 
:hat  it  was  never  completed,  or  that  it  gave  way  before  the  violence  of  the  waves, 
which  are  dashed  against  it,  for  part  of  the  year,  by  the  northern  winds.  This  lake, 
except  in  the  season  of  the  inundation,  is  nearly  dry, 

47 


370 


THE  LITE  OE 


from  which  information  could  be  formed,  and  which  was 
distributed  to  the  generals,  proved  ridiculously  incorrect. 
Sir  Sidney  Smith  was  the  only  officer  who  knew  any  thing 
of  the  locality  of  the  coasts,  and  he,  certainly,  as  far  as  he 
had  seen,  gave  perfect  information ; but  he  had  never  been 
in  the  interior  of  the  country.  It  is,  however,  a positive 
fact,  extraordinary  as  it  may  appear,  that  so  little  was  sir 
Ralph  Abercrombie  acquainted  with  the  strength  of  the  ene- 
my he  was  preparing  to  attack,  that  he  rated  their  force,  at 
the  greatest  calculation,  at  only  10,000  French,  and  5,000 
auxiliaries,  and,  even  then,  exceeding  the  number  stated 
in  the  official  information  sent  from  home,  and  on  which 
the  expedition  was  originally  formed. 

General  Reynier  having  industriously  endeavoured  to  mis- 
represent the  effective  force  of  the  British  army,  we  shall 
state  it  exactly  : 

It  consisted  of  the  following  regiments,  amounting  to 
15,330  men,  including  999  sick,  500  Maltese,  and  all 
kinds  and  descriptions  of  people  attached  to  an  army  except 
officers.  The  effective  force  was  not,  at  the  highest  com- 
putation, therefore,  above  12,000 ; and  indeed  that  num- 
ber, within  two  hundred,  was  the  return  given  in  to  the 
commander  in  chief. 

Guards,  major-general  Ludlow. 

1st,  or  Royals,  2d  battalions,  54th,  92d,  major-general 
Coote. 

8th,  13th,  90th,  major-general  Craddock. 

2d,  or  Queen’s,  50th,  79th,  major-general  lord  Cavan. 

18th,  30th,  44th,  89th,  brigadier- general  Doyle. 

Minorca,  De  Rolle’s,  Dillon’s,  major-general  Stuart. 

Reserve : 

40th,  Flank  Company,  23d,  28th,  42d,  58th,  Corsican 
Rangers,  detachment  of  the  11th  dragoons,  ditto  Iiom- 
spech’s  regiment,  major-general  Moore. 

12th  Dragoons,  26th  Dragoons,  brigadier- general  Finch. 

Artillery  and  Pioneers,  brigadier-general  Lawson. 

It  must  be  allowed,  even  at  the  calculation  of  the  sup- 
posed strength  of  the  enemy,  that  to  attack,  with  such  a 
force,  the  possesors  of  a country,  strengthened  by  the  ad- 
vantages of  strong  fortified  posts,  a numerous  cavalry,  pow- 
erful artillery,  and  a perfect  acquaintance  with  those  few 
points  where  a debarkation  was  practicable,  was  an  enter- 


NAPOLJEON  BUONAPARTE. 


371 


prise  of  the  most  audacious  character.  What  then  must 
be  the  astonishment  of  ail  military  men  at  the  success  of 
the  expedition,  when  the  real  force  of  the  enemy  is  ascer- 
tained ! 

The  wind  continuing  mode  rate,  and  the  swell  of  the  sea 
subsiding,  on  the  morning  of  tho  8th  March,  at  two  o’clock, 
the  first  division  of  the  army,  consisting  of  the  reserve,  un- 
der the  orders  of  major-general  Moore,  the  brigade  of  guards 
under  major-general  Ludlow,  and  a part  of  the  1st  brigade, 
composed  of  the  royals,  1st  battalion  of  the  54th,  200  of 
the  2d  battalion,  the  whole  amounting  to  about  5,500  men, 
under  the  command  of  major-general  Coote,  assembled  in 
the  boats ; the  remainder  of  the  first  and  second  brigade 
being  put  into  ships  close  to  the  shore,  that  a support  might 
be  -quickly  given  after  the  first  landing  was  effected.  At 
three  o’clock,  on  the  signal  rocket  from  the  admiral’s  ship, 
the  boats  having  received  the  troops,  proceeded  to  rendez- 
vous near  the  ship  Mondovi,  which  was  anchored  about  a 
gun-shot  from  the  shore.  Here  they  were  to  assemble,  and 
be  drawn  up  within  the  armed  vessels,  stationed  to  cover 
their  landing,  and  wait  for  orders.  This  division  of  the  army 
occupied  about  150  gun-boats.  The  clear  silence  of  the 
night  and  the  interesting  solemnity  of  the  scene  no  words 
can  adequately  describe.  Along  a space  of  six  miles  to  the 
shore,  nothing  was  to  be  heard  but  the  deep  murmur  of 
thousands  of  oars  dipping  in  the  sea,  and  incessantly  urging 
the  flower  of  a brave  army  to  the  severest  destiny  of  man  1 
The  extent  of  the  anchorage  was  so  great,  that  the  assem- 
bling and  arrangement  of  the  boats  could  not  be  completed 
till  near  nine  o’clock. 

And  here  let  the  reader  pause  for  a moment,  to  dwell  on 
this  solemn  scene,  and  image  to  himself  the  feelings,  the 
impatience,  the  suspense,  which  agitated  every  mind  ; the 
hopes  and  fears  which  distracted  the  spectators  ; the  anxie- 
ty of  the  gallant  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  for  the  success  of 
this  hardy  enterprise  ; and  the  fate  of  the  intrepid  men  who 
so  cheerfully  engaged  to  execute  his  orders  ! The  heart  of 
the  brave  man  will  beat  high  with  enthusiasm. 

The  right  flank  of  the  boats  were  protected  by  the  Cru- 
elle  cutter  and  the  Dangereuse  and  Janizary  gun  vessels  ; 
the  left  by  the  Entrepennant  cutter,  Malta  schooner,  and 
Negress  gun  vessel  ; on  each  flank  were  also  two  launches 


372 


THE  LIFE  OE 


of  the  fleet,  armed,  to  supply  the  place  of  the  Turkish 
gun-boats,  which  had  separated  on  the  passage.  Sir  Sid- 
ney Smith,  with  a detachment  of  seamen  directed  to  co- 
operate with  the  army,  had  charge  of  the  launches,  which 
contained  the  field  artillery.  At  nine  o’clock  the  signal 
was  made  for  the  boats  to  advance  : they  sprung  forwards 
at  the  same  instant,  and  the  whole  scene  became  animation  ! 
The  French,  to  the  number  of  two  thousand  men,  posted 
on  the  top  of  the  sand-hills,  forming  the  concave  arch  of  a 
circle  on  the  front,  of  about  a mile,  (in  the  centre  of  which 
elevated  itself  a nearly  perpendicular  height  of  sixty  yards, 
apparently  inaccessible,)  had  looked  down  with  wonder  at 
the  preparation  ; and,  since,  confessed,  that  they  could  not 
believe  the  attempt  W'ould  even  have  been  made  ; but, 
when  they  saw  the  boats  moving  with  extraordinary  rapidi- 
ty to  the  shore,  and  the  armed  vessels  opening  their  guns, 
they  could  no  longer  doubt  the  seriousness  of  the  intention, 
and  immediately  opened  a tremendous  discharge  of  grape 
shot,  and  shells  of  all  dimensions  ; and,  as  the  boats  ap- 
proached, the  shower  of  grape  and  musketry  seemed  so  to 
plough  the  surface  of  the  water  that  nothing  on  it  could  live  ; 
for  a moment  it  even  checked  and  compelled  some  of  the 
boats  rather  to  close  upon  the  left ; but  the  impulse  return- 
ed with  increased  ardour,  and,  pressing  through  the  storm, 
the  rowers  forced  to  the  beach  : the  reserve  leaped  out  of 
the  boats  on  the  shore  and  formed  as  they  advanced  ; the 
23d  and  40th  rushed  up  the  heights  with  almost  preternatu- 
ral energy,  never  firing  a shot,  but  charging  with  the  bayo- 
net the  two  battalions  which  crowned  it ; breaking  them, 
and  pursuing  till  they  carried  the  Two  Nole  Hills  in  the 
rear,  which  commanded  the  plain  to  the  left ; taking,  at  the 
same  time,  three  pieces  of  cannon.  The  42d  regiment 
had  landed,  and  formed  as  on  a parade,  then  mounted  the 
position,  notwithstanding  the  fire  from  two  pieces  of  cannon 
and  a battalion  of  infantry  : the  moment  they  gained  the 
height  two  hundred  French  dragoons  attempted  to  charge 
them,  but  were  as  quickly  repulsed. 

The  boats  of  the  guards  had  scarce  felt  the  beach,  and 
the  men  began  to  jump  out,  before  the  same  body  of  cav 
airy,  who  had  rallied  behind  the  sand-hills,  charged  sud 
denly  upon  them  : this  unexpected  attack  caused  a mo 
mentary  disorder  : but  the  58th  regiment,  formed  already 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


B7S 


on  their  right,  by  their  fire  checked  the  enemy,  and  gave 
time  for  the  guards  to  present  a front,  when  the  cavalry  again 
retreated  with  considerable  loss.  The  54th  and  royals,  from 
being  in  transport  boats,  did  not  reach  the  shore  so  soon 
as  the  others,  but  landed  at  the  instant  a column  of  six 
hundred  infantry  was  advancing,  with  fixed  bayonets, 
through  a hollow,  against  the  left  flank  of  the  guards  : the 
French,  on  seeing  them,  hesitated,  then,  firing  a volley,  re- 
treated. This  moment  of  exultation  cannot  be  described, 
but  the  most  callous  mind  must  be  sensible  to  its  effect. 

The  French  finding  the  British  in  full  possession  of  the 
heights,  and  general  Coote  advancing  with  the  guards  and 
his  brigade,  ran  from  all  points  of  their  position,  but  in  the 
rear  sand-hills,  maintained,  for  about  an  hour  and  a half  a 
scattered  fire  ; when  they  were,  finally,  obliged  to  retreat, 
having  lost  three  hundred  men,  eight  pieces  of  cannon,  and 
many  horses.  The  boats  returned  immediately  for  the  re- 
mainder of  the  army,  which,  by  the  great  exertions  of  the 
navy,  were  all  landed  before  night.  Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie, 
impressed  with  the  strongest  feelings  of  gratitude  and  admi- 
ration, came  on  shore,  and  took  up  a position  distant  about 
three  miles,  with  his  right  to  the  sea  and  left  on  lake  Maadie. 

The  loss  of  the  British  amounted  in  this  affair  to  nearly 
five  hundred  men,  among  whom  were  several  gallant  officers. 

General  Reynier  among  other  falsehoods,  (with  which 
his  work  abounds  respecting  the  military  operations  of  the 
English  in  Egypt,)  asserts  that  the  infantry  laid  down  in 
the  bottom  of  their  boats,  while  the  sailors,  indifferent  to  the 
French  artillery,  rowed  with  vigour  to  the  shore.  “ What 
kind  of  boats,”  says  sir  Robert  Wilson,  “ must  those  flats 
have  been  which  would  have  allowed  of  such  an  extension  ? 
Is  it  possible  that  any  one  can  be  ignorant  of  the  neces  - 
sity of  troops,  in  all  debarkations,  wedging  as  close  as  pos- 
sible together  in  an  upright  position,  or  how  could  fifty 
men  be  carried  in  each  boat ! malignity  should  always  thus 
defeat  itself. 

“ From  a consideration  of  the  enemy’s  strength,”  con- 
tinues sir  Robert,  “ and  an  observation  of  the  map,  milita- 
ry men  must  pronounce  that  a landing,  in  the  face  of  such 
a position,  was  nearly  impracticable,  where  both  parties  did 
their  duty  : but  it  would  be  unjust  to  insinuate  that  the 
French  did  not  behave  with  spirit  and  resolution.  Their 


374 


THE  LIFE  OF 


defence  was  strictly  good,  and  the  conque  st  one  of  those 
singular  phenomena  which  occasionally  occur,  to  animate 
the  brave  with  a confidence,  that  brilliant  exertions,  support- 
ed by  persevering  courage,  may  surmount  mathematical 
improbabilities,  and  snatch  a victory  where  cold  calculation 
would  predict  a certain  defeat.  The  event,  however,  does 
not,  in  all  cases,  justify  the  councils  ; but  sir  Ralph  Aber- 
crombie’s peculiar  situation  must  be  considered,  and 
weigh  heavily  in  the  enquiry.  Had  he  been  alarmed  at  the 
formidable  appearance  of  the  position,  it  is  too  much  to  be 
feared,  that  his  prudence,  however  just,  would  have  invol- 
ved himself  and  army  in  eternal  and  irretrievable  obloquy.” 

After  the  action  the  army  employed  itself  in  digging  to 
find  water,  as  sir  Sidney  Smith  assured  the  troops  that, 
wherever  date-trees  grew,  water  must  be  near.  The  fact 
proved  so,  and  the  commander  in  chief  found  himself  re- 
lieved from  an  anxiety  which  might  otherwise  have  deter- 
mined him  still  to  relinquish  the  enterprize.  An  Arab 
came  to  sir  Sidney  Smith,  and  shewed  him  a well,  which 
he  said  had  been  closed  by  him  ever  since  the  French  land- 
ed. This  was  an  act  of  friendship  which  augured  favour- 
ably of  the  general  disposition. 

The  French  commander  of  Aboukir  castle  refusing  to 
surrender,  the  queen’s,  and  26th  dismounted  dragoons, 
were  ordered  to  blockade  it.  On  the  9th  of  March  the  ar- 
my advanced  its  position  a short  way,  and  there  posted,  in 
three  lines.  On  the  10th  some  skirmishing  between  the 
advanced  posts  took  place  ; 20  Corsican  rangers  were  ta- 
ken and  the  surgeon  of  the  corps,  by  the  sudden  advance  of 
a body  of  cavalry.  Colonel  Spencer,  who  had  been  out 
reconnoitring  with  general  Moore,  narrowly  escaped. 

The  news  of  the  landing  of  the  English  had  reached 
Cairo  on  the  13th,  and  Menou  immediately  took  precau- 
tions for  reinforcing  the  garrison  ; so  that,  when  the  Eng- 
lish came  in  sight  of  the  enemy,  they  found  them  strongly 
posted  among  sand-hills,  and  palm-trees,  four  miles  from  the 
walls  of  the  ancient  Alexandria,  eastward,  and  numbering 
about  6,000  infantry,  besides  a body  of  600  cavalry,  aided 
by  flying  artillery.  The  English  amounted  to  13  or  14 
thousand,  but  their  cavalry  was  badly  mounted,  and  they 
were  deficient  in  artillery  ; early  on  the  morning  of  the  13th 
they  moved  forward,  however,  to  the  attack.  The  left  wing 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


375 


was  first  in  motion,  taking  the  edge  of  lake  Maadie,  and 
designing  to  turn  tile  right  of  the  French  ; the  right,  act- 
ing as  a reserve,  covered  the  movement,  and  kept  in  a par- 
allel with  the  first  line.  The  centre  marched  slowly  on  the 
other  side  of  a heig  ht,  which,  concealing  them  from  view, 
general  Lanusse  im  agined  the  left  wing  to  be  insulated. 
Under  this  persuasion,  he  advanced  into  the  plain,  hoping 
to  overpower  it  by  a brisk  attack  : this  was  conducted  with 
i all  the  impetuosity  of  French  cavalry,  and  as  resolutely  re- 
pulsed by  the  90th  and  92d  regiments,  particularly  the  for- 
mer, whom  their  antagonists  unfortunately  mistook  for  dis- 
mounted cavalry,  but  found  them  on  their  knees  prepared 
to  receive  the  charge : meanwhile  the  English  centre  had 
appeared  on  the  height.  As  it  was  no  longer  possible  to 
flank  the  left  wing,  Lanusse  commenced  his  retreat,  which 
he  conducted  with  great  ability,  to  the  heights  of  Nicopolis. 
From  this  position  the  French  might  have  easily  been  for- 
ced by  the  ardour  of  their  assailants,  who,  in  the  midst  of  a 
victorious  career,  were  ordered  to  desist  : on  reconnoitring 
the  situation  of  the  enemy,  it  was  judged  imprudent  to  at- 
tempt a position  that  could  not,  when  gained,  be  occupied. 
Recovering  from  their  dismay,  on  seeing  a halt  command- 
ed at  the  moment  when  they  expected  to  be  driven  within 
the  walls  of  the  city,  the  French  came  forward,  and  enjoyed 
the  satisfaction  of  galling  the  retreat  of  the  English. 

This  action  was  highly  creditable  to  the  gallantry  and 
discipline  of  the  British,  whose  movements  were  executed 
with  the  same  steadiness  and  accuracy  as  if  at  a review  in 
England.  The  loss  of  the  English  was  about  1,100  men 
killed  and  wounded  : the  French,  of  course,  did  not  suf- 
fer so  much  ; but,  above  500  of  them  were  put  hors-du- 
combai.  Four  field-pieces  were  also  taken,  and  a great 
quantity  of  ammunition.  Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  in  the 
action  had  a horse  shot  under  him. 

The  English,  with  their  right  to  the  sea,  near  the  Roman 
camp,  and  their  left  to  the  canal  of  Alexandria,  at  this  time 
dry,  opposite  the  point  of  lake  Maadie,  were  assiduously 
employed  in  getting  their  heavy  cannon  on  shore  and  forti- 
fying their  camp.  The  French,  leaving  a strong  guard  on 
the  heights  of  Nicopolis,  to  impose  on  the  English,  em- 
ployed themselves  in  repairing  the  works  of  Alexandria  ; 
dispatching,  also  a vessel  to  acquaint  the  government  with 


376 


THE  LIFE  OF 


what  had  happened,  and  to  inform  Gantheaume  of  the  posi- 
tion of  the  English  fleet,  On  the  1 9th  of  March  Fort  Abou- 
kir  capitulated  to  the  English  : while  Menou,  arriving  from 
Cairo,  the  whole  of  his  disposable  force  was  on  the  20th, 
concentrated  at  Alexandria.  This  junction  might,  per- 
haps, have  been  prevented,  had  the  English,  by  cutting  the 
dyke,  which  separates  it  from  lake  Maadie,  let  the  sea  in- 
to the  lake  Mareotis. 

On  the  19th  the  supply  in  the  market,  which  had  been 
established,  altogether  failed,  from  the  advance  of  general 
Menou,  whose  patroles  had  fallen  in  with  and  killed  seve- 
ral Arabs  bringing  sheep. 

On  the  20th  an  Arab  chief  sent  a letter  to  sir  Sidney 
Smith,  acquainting  him  of  the  arrival  of  general  Menou 
with  a large  army,  and  that  it  was  his  intention  to  surprise 
and  attack  the  British  camp  next  morning  ; but  much  con- 
fidence was  not  placed  in  the  communication  at  head- quar- 
ters, although  sir  Sidney  was  convinced  in  his  own  mind  of 
the  honesty  and  truth  of  the  information,  and  assured  his 
friends  of  that  event  taking  place. 

On  the  night  of  the  20th  the  position  of  the  army  had  been 
strengthened  by  a battery,  not  closed  in  the  rear,  erected  a 
little  in  front,  and  to  the  left  of  the  ruins  of  Ptolemy’s  pal- 
ace, from  whence  the  space  to  the  sea  was  open.  In  front  of 
the  right  of  the  guards  was  a redoubt ; on  their  left  a large 
battery,  where  the  signal-staff  was  hoisted,  which  was  af- 
terwards called  the  citadel : on  the  left  of  the  line  a re- 
doubt, and  on  the  canal  of  Alexandria  two  works.  On 
the  whole  line  were  two  24-pounders,  and  34  field  pieces. 

After  these  various  actions  there  was  every  reason  to  ex- 
pect a general  engagement : and  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie, 
being  ignorant  of  the  junction  of  the  army  before  Alexan- 
dria, was  anxious  that  this  might  be  the  case. 

The  English  occupied  a line  about  a mile  in  extent, 
nearly  four  miles  from  Alexandria,  having  a sandy  plain  in 
their  front,  the  sea  on  their  right,  and  the  lake  of  Aboukir 
and  the  canal  of  Alexandria,  at  that  time  dry,  on  their  left. 
Their  flanks  U'ere  covered  by  gun- boats  and  redoubts  filled 
with  artillery.  Here  Menou  resolved  to  attack  them  on  the 
ensuing  morning.  Fie  proclaimed  a Louis  d'or  for  each 
man  who  would  volunteer  to  commence  the  action  by  turn- 
ing the  right  of  his  enemy.  This  was  undertaken  by  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


377 


invincibles,  amounting  to  900  men.  Even  in  this  we  may 
observe  the  character  of  Menou,  and  the  great  disparity 
between  him  and  Buonaparte.  That  great  man  would  nev- 
er have  resorted  to  the  poor  expedient  of  stimulating  his 
soldiers  by  the  hope  of  pecuniary  reward ; it  was  his  con- 
stant custom  to  hold  before  their  eyes  fame,  renown,  and 
honourable  wounds  ; perhaps  there  never  was  a general 
who  led  his  army  forward  more  by  the  impulse  of  pure  and 
unmixed  military  glory  ; in  modern  times,  certainly  no  one 
has  so  closely  followed  that  grandeur  of  motive  that  we  so 
much  admire  in  the  Greeks  and  Romans.  It  is  impossible 
not  be  struck  with  the  animating  and  forceful  harangues, 
proclamations,  &c.  of  Buonaparte  to  his  army  : the  spirit  of 
an  ancient  Roman  shines  through  them,  and  seems  to  say, 
u This  man  deserves  to  command.”  But  to  return  : 

On  the  memorable  21st  of  March  the  English  army  as 
Usual,  was  under  arms  at  three  o’clock  in  the  morning  ; all 
was  quiet  till  half  past  three  o’clock,  when  the  report  of  a 
musket  was  heard  at  the  extremity  of  the  left  ; instantly 
afterwards  a cannon  was  Bred,  scattered  musketry  succeed 
ed,  and  then  two  more  guns. 

An  hour  before  daylight  the  French  troops  assembled  at 
the  advanced  posts.  General  Lanusse  believed  that  the 
English  redoubts  might  be  easily  carried  by  grenadiers, 
supported  by  the  head  of  the  columns.  He  marched  his 
two  brigades  in  close  column,  intending  to  form  them  be- 
yond the  main  redoubt  and  the  Roman  camp,  and  fall  upon 
the  right  of  the  English  army.  The  brigade  of  general 
Lilly  was  to  march  directly  against  the  redoubt ; that  of 
general  Valentin  to  follow  the  shore,  passing  between  the 
sea  and  the  Roman  camp.  The  centre  was  to  march  close 
to  the  right  of  general  Lilly’s  brigade,  following  it  as  a se- 
cond line  ; and,  on  the  first  success,  vigorously  to  attack, 
along  with  the  right  wing,  the  position  of  redoubts  of  the 
enemy’s  centre.  But  the  division  of  the  French  centre, 
jj  with  two  bodies,  each  with  its  separate  commanding  officer, 
;and  subdivided  again  by  the  detaching  of  its  grenadiers, 
deprived  it  of  that  combined  action  necessary  to  the  com- 
plete accomplishment  of  its  orders.  The  right  wing  was 
to  form  between  the  lakes  and  the  centre  to  attack  the  op- 
posite wing  of  the  enemy  as  soon  as  the  enemy’s  right  was 
< broken : they  were  also  to  detach  a corps  between  the  two 

48 


378 


THE  LIFE  OF 


lakes  to  occupy  the  left  of  the  English,  and  to  prevent  their 
sending  a body  against  Alexandria  ; this  wing  was  to  be 
sunpored  by  general  Bron,  detached  with  two  regiments  of 
cavalry  to  the  basin  of  lake  Mareotis,  and  also  by  a false 
at'ack  of  dromedaries  on  the  side  of  Bedah.  It  was  the 
more  confidently  to  be  expected  that  this  false  attack  would 
greatly  occupy  the  English  and  prevent  detachments  from 
the  r left  wing,  being,  as  we  have  already  mentioned,  igno- 
rant of  the  junction  before  the  army  of  Alexandria,  and 
might  expect  to  be  attacked  on  that  side  ; and  these  move- 
ments, if  successful,  would  give  the  advantage  of  acting 
with  equal  forces  on  their  right.  The  cavalry  were  to 
march  in  a second  line  behind  the  infantry  till  the  left  had 
broken  the  line  of  the  English,  when  they  were  to  seize  the 
moment  of  disorder  to  decide  the  victory  by  a vigorous 
charge. 

Such  were  the  dispositions  of  the  French  army.  Let  us 
now  return  to  our  countrymen. 

We  have  already  mentioned,  that,  about  half  past  three 
o’clock,  a firing  was  heard  on  the  left : this  was  the  false 
attack  of  the  French.  For  a moment  attention  was  direct- 
ed to  that  quarter  ; all  were  convinced  that  a general  attack 
was  commencing,  but  it  was  immediately  evident  that  the 
firing  was  too  feeble  on  the  left  to  believe  that  to  be  the 
point  of  the  enemy’s  serious  object.  Indeed  this  was  the 
universal  sentiment ; and  general  Moore,  who,  as  general 
officer  of  the  night,  on  the  first  alarm,  proceeded  to  the  left, 
was  so  impressed  with  this  idea  that  he  turned  back  to  the 
right. 

For  a few  minutes  all  was  still ; but  it  was  the  awful  sus- 
pense of  anxious  expectation,  not  of  apprehension.  Every 
eye  was  painfully  extended  forwards  through  the  gloomy 
mist  of  the  atmosphere,  and  the  ears  strained  to  catch  the 
smallest  sound.  Occasionally  the  eastern  horizon  was  anx- 
iously regarded  ; but  though  the  grey  of  the  morning  was 
perceptible,  it  seemed  reluctantly  to  break.  On  a sudden, 
loud  shouts  were  heard  in  front  of  the  right,  which  fully 
certified  the  enemy’s  intention  ; a roar  of  musketry  imme- 
diately succeeded,  and  the  action  there  became  general. 

The  enemy,  covered  by  the  unequal  surface  of  the  ground, 
had  advanced,  unperceived,  as  far  as  the  videttes,  and  con 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


379 


tinued  to  press  on  with  them,  and  the  retiring  piquettes  of 
infantry,  to  the  main  position,  with  all  possible  celerity  ; 
one  column  directed  itself  upon  the  ruins,  where  the  58th 
were  posted,  the  front  of  which  was  considerably  more  ex- 
tensive than  the  front  of  the  regiment  ; but  some  parts  of 
the  wall  still  standing,  it  admitted  of  the  regiment’s  dividing 
itself ; but  scarcely,  notwithstanding,  did  the  troops  fill  up 
the  different  openings.  Colonel  Houston,  who  command- 
ed, faintly  perceived  the  column  of  the  enemy  advancing, 
with  beat  of  drums  and  huzzas  ; but,  fearing  lest  the  Eng- 
lish piquettes  might  be  preceding,  he  allowed  it  to  approach 
! so  close  that  the  glazed  hats  were  clearly  distinguished, 
when  he  ordered  the  grenadiers  to  fire,  which  was  followed 
by  the  whole  regiment,  and  repeated  with  several  rounds. 
These  continued  and  well  directed  discharges  not  only 
j checked  but  made  the  enemy’s  column  retire  quickly  into 
a hollow,  some  distance  in  their  rear,  when  it,  shortly  af- 
terwards, wheeled  to  the  right,  and  endeavoured  to  force 
round  the  redoubt  in  front  of  its  left,  with  another  column 
j directing  its  march  upon  the  battery.  The  28th  regiment, 
stationed  there,  opened  a heavy  fire  on  that  part  of  the  ene- 
my which  attempted  to  storm  the  redoubt  in  front ; but  the 
main  body  of  the  two  columns,  now  joined  to  a third,  for- 
ced in  behind  the  redoubt,  and,  while  some  remained  to  at- 
tack it  thus  in  the  rear,  the  rest  penetrated  into  the  ruins. 
Colonel  Crowjye,  who  commanded  the  left  of  the  58th,  ob- 
serving their  advance,  through  the  openings,  wheeled  back 
two  companies,  and,  after  two  or  three  rounds  of  fire,  ad- 
vanced on  the  enemy  with  the  bayonet.  At  this  instant 
: the  23d  regiment  appeared  to  support,  having  moved  for 
that  purpose  from  its  station,  and  the  42d  also  advancing  on 
the  exterior  side  of  the  ruins,  to  cover  the  opening  on  the 
left  of  the  redoubt,  to  cut  off  the  troops  which  had  entered  : 
j after  a severe  loss,  they  were  obliged  to  surrender.  The 
28th  regiment  had  presented,  as  well  as  the  58th,  the  ex- 
| traordinary  spectacle  of  troops  fighting,  at  the  same  time, 
I to  the  front,  flanks,  and  rear.  Although  thus  surrounded, 
the  28th  regiment  remained  fixed  to  the  platform  of  the 
! parapet,  and,  preserving  its  order,  continued  a contest  un- 
li  exampled  before  this  day. 

ij  The  advance  of  the  42d  relieved  the  28th,  for  a moment, 
li  from  this  unequal  attack  ; but  as  that  regiment  approached 


380 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  right  of  the  redoubt,  floundering  over  the  tents,  and  in 
the  holes  dug  in  the  encampment  of  the  28th  regiment, 
charged  en  masse  and  overwhelmed  the  42d  : yet,  though 
broken,  this  gallant  corps  was  not  defeated  ; individually  it 
resisted  ! and  the  conduct  of  each  man  exalted  still  more 
the  high  character  of  the  regiment.  Colonel  Spencer  (who, 
with  the  flank  companies  of  the  40th,  had  taken  his  station 
in  the  intervals  of  the  ruins)  was,  for  some  seconds,  afraid 
to  order  his  men  to  fire,  lest  he  should  destroy  the  42d,  so 
intermixed  with  the  enemy : but  the  cavalry  pressing  on,  and 
directing  itself  against  that  interval , he  was  obliged  to  com- 
mand the  firing,  which  stopped  the  cavalry’s  advances  : yet 
such  a feeble  force  must  have  instantly  been  overpowered,  if, 
at  this  critical  moment,  general  Stuart,  with  the  foreign 
brigade  from  thescond  line,  had  not  advanced,  in  the  most 
perfect  order,  and  poured  in  such  a heavy  and  well  directed 
fire  that  nothing  could  withstand  it,  and  the  enemy  fled  or 
perished.  It  was  in  this  charge  of  the  cavalry  that  the  gal- 
lant sir  Ralph  Abercrombie,  always  anxious  to  be  the  most 
forward  in  danger,  received  his  mortal  wound  : on  the  first 
alarm  he  had  mounted  his  horse,  and,  finding  that  the  right 
was  seriously  engaged,  proceeded  thither  : when  he  came 
near  the  ruins  he  dispatched  his  aids-de-camp  with  some  or- 
ders to  different  brigades  ; and,  while  thus  alone,  some  dra- 
goons of  the  French  cavalry  penetrated  to  the  spot,  and  he 
was  thrown  from  his  horse  : one  of  them  (from  the  tassel 
of  his  sword  supposed  to  be  an  officer)  then  rode  at  him 
and  attempted  to  cut  him  down  ; but,  just  as  the  point  of 
the  sword  was  falling,  his  natural  heroism,  and  the  energy 
of  the  moment,  so  invigorated  the  veteran  general,  that  he. 
seized  the  sword  and  wrested  it  from  the  uplifted  hand  ; at 
that  instant  the  officer  was  bayoneted  by  a soldier  of  the 
42d.  Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  did  not  know  the  moment 
of  his  receiving  the  wound  in  his  thigh,  but  complained 
severely  of  the  contusion  in  his  breast,  supposed  to  be  giv- 
en by  the  hilt  of  the  sword  in  the  scuffle.  Sir  Sidney  Smith 
was  the  first  officer  who  came  to  sir  Ralph,  and  who,  by  an 
accident  had  broken  his  own  sword,  which  sir  Ralph  obser- 
ving, he  instantly  presented  to  him  the  one  he  had  so  glori- 
ously acquired.* 

* This  sword  sir  Sidney  Smith  means  to  place  on  his  monument.  “ A singular  cir- 
sumstance,”  says  sir  Robert  Wilson,  from  whose  well  written,  manly,  and  impartial 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


381 

Sir  Ralph  (as  the  cavalry  was  by  this  time  repulsed)  walk- 
ed to  the  redoubt  on  the  right  of  the  guards,  from  which 
he  could  command  a view  of  the  whole  field  of  battle.  The 
French,  although  driven  out  of  the  camp,  by  no  means 
gave  up  the  contest  on  the  right.  A second  charge  of  cav- 
alry was  attempted,  by  their  reserve,  against  the  foreign 
brigade,  but  completely  failed.  After  this  their  infantry 
did  not  keep  any  longer  in  a body,  but  acted  en  tirailleur , 
except  that  a battalion  maintained  still  a littl ejleche  in  front 
of  the  redoubt,  on  each  flank  of  which  republican  colours 
were  flying. 

The  ammunition  of  the  English  being  by  this  time  to- 
tally exhausted,  the  regiments  of  the  reserve  were  obliged 
to  remain  without  firing  a shot,  some  not  having  one 
round  left ; and,  for  a time,  there  was  not  one  cartouch  for 
the  guns  in  the  battery  ! While  such  was  the  state  of  the 
contest  on  the  right  the  attack  on  the  centre  had  also  con- 
tinued. As  soon  as  day  dawned  a column  of  grenadiers 
I had  advanced,  supported  by  a heavy  line  of  infantry,  to  the 
? assault  of  this  part  of  the  position  : the  guards,  posted  there, 
i at  first  threw  out  their  flankers  to  oppose  them,  but  these 
being  driven  in  when  the  column  approached  very  near, 
general  Ludlow  directed  the  brigade  to  fire,  which  they  did 
with  the  greatest  precision.  The  French  general,  seeing 
the  eschellon  formation,  had  advanced  to  turn  the  left  flank 
i of  the  guards;  but  the  officer  commanding  there  instantly 
wheeled  back  some  companies,  which  checked  their  move- 
ment; and  the  advance  of  general  Coote  with  his  brigade 
l compelled  them  to  retreat.  Finding  this  effort  ineffectual 
they  then  dispersed  as  sharp-shooters,  and  kept  up  a very 
destructive  fire,  at  the  same  time  that  the  French  cannon 
'i  played  incessantly.  The  left  of  the  British  was  never  seri- 
ously engaged,  it  was  only  exposed  to  partial  musketry  and 
I a distant  cannonade. 

The  French  on  the  right,  during  the  wTant  of  ammunition 
1 among  the  British,  had  attempted  to  approach  again  close 
I to  the  redoubt;  and  some  of  them  having  also  exhausted 

I 'History  of  the  British  expedition,’  the  above  account  is  chiefly  taken)  *•'  happened 
f almost  immediately  afterwards  : major  Hall,  aid-de-camp  to  general  Craddock,  while 
! going  with  orders,  had  his  horse  killed.  Seeing  sir  Sidney,  he  begged  to  mount  his  or- 
I derly  man’s  horse.  As  sir  Sidney  was  turning  round,  to  bid  him  give  it  to  major  Hall, 
I a cannon-ball  struck  off  the  dragoon’s  head.  ‘ This,’  exclaimed  sir  Sidney,  ‘ is  destiny  ’ 
\ the  horse,  major  Hall,  is  yours,”’ 


382 


THE  LIFE  OF 


theirs,  absolutely  pelted  stones,  from  the  ditch,  at  the  28th, 
who  returned  these  unusual,  yet  not  altogether  harmless, 
instruments  of  violence,  as  a sergeant  of  the  28th  was  killed 
by  one  breaking  through  his  forehead ; but  the  grenadier 
company  of  the  40th  moving  out,  the  assailants  ran  away ; 
the  sharp-shooters  in  front  left  the  hollows  they  were  covered 
by,  and  the  battalion  also  evacuated  the  jieche. 

At  length  general  Menou,  finding  that  every  one  of  his 
movements  had  failed,  and  that  the  British  lines  had  suffered 
no  serious  impression,  to  justify  the  hopes  of  an  eventual 
success,  determined  on  a retreat ; his  lines  retired,  in  very 
good  order,  under  the  heights  of  their  position ; but  fortu-. 
nately  for  them,  there  was  such  a want,  on  the  part  of  the 
English,  of  ammunition,  otherwise  the  slaughter  would,  at 
least,  have  been  double,  as  the  ground  they  had  to  pass 
over  presented  a glacis  for  the  farthest  range  of  shot : as  it 
was,  the  cannon  on  the  left  did  much  execution,  and  also 
the  king’s  cutters  on  the  right,  which  had,  during  the  whole 
action,  most  gallantly  remained  in  their  station,  although 
exposed  to  a body  of  the  enemy  within  half  musket  shot, 
expressly  firing  at  them,  and  who  had  the  advantage  of  a 
considerable  elevation.  A corps  of  French  cavalry,  posted 
at  the  bridge  on  the  canal  of  Alexandria,  to  protect  the  right 
flank  of  their  lines,  and  to  prevent  a movement  from  the 
British  left,  deserve  equally  to  be  mentioned,  for  the  stead- 
iness with  which  it  maintained  its  ground,  although  the 
shot  plunged  constantly  into  the  ranks. 

At  about  ten  o’clock  A.  M.  the  action  ceased ; but  it 
was  not  till  the  defeat  of  the  French  was  thus  absolutely 
assured,  that  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie,  who  had  remained 
in  the  battery,  (where,  several  times,  he  had  nearly  been 
killed  by  cannon-shot,)  could  be  prevailed  upon  to  quit  the 
field  : he  had  continued  walking  about,  paying  no  attention 
to  his  wound,  only,  occasionally,  complaining  of  a pain  in 
his  breast  from  the  contusion.  Officers,  who  went  to  him 
in  the  course  of  the  action,  returned  without  knowing,  from 
his  manner  or  appearance,  that  he  had  been  wounded,  and 
many  only  ascertained  it  by  seeing  the  blood  trickling  down 
his  clothes  ! At  last,  his  spirit,  when  exertion  was  no  longer 
necessary,  yielded  to  nature  : he  became  faint,  was  placed 
in  a hammock,  and  borne  to  the  depot , cheered  by  the  feel- 
ing expressions  and  blessings  of  the  soldiers  as  he  passed  ' 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


383 


he  was  then  put  into  a boat,  accompanied  by  his  aid-de- 
camp  and  esteemed  friend,  sir  Thomas  Dyer,  and  carried 
to  lord  Keith’s  ship. 

Such  was  the  honourable  and  distinguished  termination 
to  the  British  arms  of  the  memorable  21st  of  March, 
and  which  left  behind  but  one  cause  of  regret,  the  death  of 
the  brave  man  who  had  led  our  troops  on  to  victory.  But 
the  field  of  battle  proves  a common  grave  alike  to  the  glo- 
rious and  inglorious  ; and  the  philosopher,  perhaps,  would 
bid  his  tears  flow  as  readily  for  the  common  soldier,  dying 
bravely,  as  for  the  victorious  general. 

. It  was  in  this  battle  that  the  French  standard  was  taken, 
the  honour  of  which  has  been  so  strongly  contested  by  dif- 
j ferent  claimants.  As  an  event  strongly  connected  with 
general  and  individual  honour,  and  rendered  interesting, 
both  from  its  own  nature  and  the  subsequent  displeasure 
; shewn  by  Buonaparte  to  those  who  had  lost  it,  we  presume  it 
will  not  be  altogether  uninteresting  to  our  readers  to  find  here 
, a summary  of  this  affair.  Sir  Robert  Wilson,  in  his  esteem- 
ed work,  has  taken  much  pains  to  investigate  the  business  ; 
and,  as  his  account  has  not  been  dissented  from,  we  shall 
(1  follow  him  in  our  details. 

The  42d  regiment,  and  a private  of  the  Minorca,  by 
name  Anthony  Lutz,  claim  equally  the  trophy.  Major 
] Stirling  first  obtained  possession  of  it  when  the  42d  so  gal- 
j lantly  advanced  to  relieve  the  28th  and  58th  : this  officer 
j gave  it  to  the  care  of  sergeant  Sinclair,  who,  in  the  subse- 
quent charge  of  the  French  cavalry,  lost  it.  When  the 
i Minorca  advanced  to  relieve  the  42d,  and  routed  the  enemy, 
the  French  had  recovered  the  colours ; but  Lutz,  perceiving 
the  standard,  advanced  from  the  ranks  and  fired  at  the  officer 
who  was  carrying  it,  and  who  was  some  way  behind  his 
men : the  officer  fell ; and  Lutz,  seizing  the  standard,  re- 
loaded his  piece,  and  was  proceeding  to  join  his  regiment, 
' when  two  dragoons  rode  at  him : he  fired,  and  killed  the 
horse  of  one,  then  rushed  upon  the  rider,  whose  foot  was 
i entangled  in  the  stirrup  ; but  the  man  begging  his  life,  and 
| surrendering  his  arms,  Lutz  granted  him  quarter,  and  car- 
|j  ried  the  prisoner,  with  the  colours,  to  his  officer,  lieutenant 
k Markoff,  who  ordered  him  to  head-quarters,  where  he  re- 
’ ceived  the  regulated  reward.  The  other  dragoon  who  had 
rode  to  attack  Lutz,  fled  when  he  saw  the  horse  of  his  com- 


384 


THE  LIFE  OF 


rade  fall.  These  facts  have  been  properly  attested  and 
proved  in  a court  of  inquiry,  which  sat  expressly  to  inves- 
tigate the  affair. 

It  appears,  therefore,  that  the  42d  were  first  in  possession 
of  the  standard  ; but  that  sergeant  Sinclair  (to  whose  charge 
it  was  entrusted)  being  wounded,  it  was  afterwards  retaken 
by  the  French ; that  Lutz,  by  an  act  of  great  personal 
bravery,  recovered  it  from  the  enemy,  and  bore  it  in  safety 
to  the  head- quarters  of  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie.  A certifi- 
cate was,  in  consequence,  granted  to  Lutz,  in  testimony  of 
his  honourable  conduct,  and  a bounty  of  twenty  dollars  on 
the  spot ; and,  afterwards,  it  was  ordered,  that  he  should 
wear  the  representation  of  a standard , as  a mark  of  his  good 
behaviour,  on  his  left  breast.  These  badges,  commemora- 
tive of  meritorious  services,  are  admirable  methods  of  re- 
warding courage,  and  stimulating  to  it,  and  of  keeping  it 
alive  in  the  bosom.  A man  who  distinguishes  himself,  and 
is  merely  remunerated  with  a few  pounds,  spends  his  paltry 
acknowledgment,  and  forgets  his  own  heroism  ; at  least,  it  ; 
is  known  only  to  himself,  unless  he  boasts  to  every  one  he 
meets  of  what  he  has  done  : but  when  he  carries  perpetually 
about  him  an  external  mark,  in  memory  of  his  own  worth, 
he  not  only  feels  a constant  stimulus  to  preserve  the  name  he 
has  acquired,  but  he  continually  reads,  in  the  looks  and 
words  of  others,  the  gratifying  acknowledgment  of  his  own 
worthiness,  without  being  compelled  to  ask  for  praise  by  a 
verbal  relation  of  his  deeds.  If  there  be  a thing  on  earth 
capable  of  generating  courage  in  the  human  bosom,  it  would 
be  the  ambition  of  acquiring  a distinctive  and  honourable 
badge.  General  Reynier,  with  the  accustomed  indifference 
to  truth  which  is  characteristic  of  his  countrymen,  states,  j 
that  the  battalion  to  which  these  colours  belonged  was  com- 
posed chiefly  of  Copts. — “ But,”  says  sir  Robert  Wilson, 
very  pertinently,  “ how  Copts  came  to  carry  a standard  on 
which  JLe  passage  de  la  Scrivia ; Le  passage  du  Taglia- 
inento  ; Le  passage  de  VIsenzo  ; La  prise  de  Graz  ; Le  pont 
de  Lodi,  are  inscribed,  general  Reynier  can  only  explain.” 

The  loss  of  the  English  in  this  action,  was  six  officers 
and  233  men  killed  ; 60  officers  and  1,190  men  wounded  ; 
three  officers  and  29  men  missing.  The  English  tents 
were  torn  to  pieces  by  the  shot,  and  thousands  of  brass 
cannon-balls  were  glistening  in  the  sand- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


385 


The  conduct  of  every  individual  in  the  British  army  was 
distinguished  on  this  memorable  day  ; and,  among  those 
who  most  conspicuously  signalized  themselves,  praise 
seems,  unanimously,  to  be  awarded  to  general  Moore  ; his 
exertions,  personal  courage,  and  ability,  contributed  much 
to  the  success  of  the  day,  and  enhanced  that  character  which 
his  former  brilliant  services  acquired  him  : wounded,  early 
in  the  action,  through  the  leg,  he  refused  to  quit  the  field, 
and  continued  in  an  activity  almost  beyond  belief,  when  the 
nature  of  such  a wound  is  considered. 

The  conduct  of  the  troops  cannot  but  excite  wonder  in 
; military  men,  of  whatever  nation  they  may  be  ; surrounded, 
partly  broken,  without  ammunition,  still  to  continue  the 
contest,  and  remain  conquerors,  is  an  extraordinary  evidence 
of  intrepidity,  discipline,  and  inherent  conduct.  The  Brit- 
ish service  may  not  only  pride  itself  on  that  day  for  the  bat- 
tle gained,  but  as  it  serves  for  the  groundwork  of  future 
glory,  and,  if  its  details  are  properly  impressed,  must  uni- 
I versally  diffuse  instruction  and  confidence  in  danger. 

It  is,  however,  universally  admitted,  that  our  success 
would  have  been  doubtful  but  for  the  palpable  misconduct 
. of  Menou  : his  arrangements  were  so  frequently  inconsid- 
erate, and  his  whole  conduct  so  indecisive,  that  it  afforded 
many  opportunities  to  a prudent  and  watchful  enemy. 

But,  notwithstanding  the  importance  of  this  victory,  it 
by  no  means  decided  the  fate  of  Egypt : not  an  inch  of  ter- 
ritory was  acquired  ; the  French  still  retained  their  position, 
and  had  an  army  considerably  more  numerous  than  the 
British  in  the  country ; indeed,  calculating  the  mutual  losses 
by  an  inverse  ratio,  their  strength  had  increased  by  the 
diminution  of  the  previous  inferior  number  of  their  enemy : 
yet  one  immediate  benefit  resulting,  independent  of  the 
confidence  it  inspired  in  the  troops,  was  the  impression 
made  on  the  inhabitants  and  Bedouin  Arabs,  thousands  of 
whom  had  witnessed  the  battle,  and  such  a battle  as  their 
. fathers  never  recorded  to  them.  The  market  was  imme- 
diately supplied  with  every  article,  and  a direct  communica- 
■ tion  established  with  the  interior;  still,  however,  the  army 
j was  obliged  to  live  on  salt  pork,  as  the  troops  did  not 
choose,  although  an  allowance  was  offered  to  them  for  their 
ratios,  to  trust  to  the  supply  of  fresh  meat,  and  the  com- 
i missary  dare  not  undertake  it.  Its  duties  were  very  se- 

49 


386 


THE  LIFE  OF 


vere : by  night  the  outposts  were  strong,  and  the  whole 
laid  with  their  accoutrements  on,  always  turning  out  at  three 
o’clock  in  the  morning.  The  day  was  occupied  in  bring- 
ing the  provisions  from  the  depot , dragging  guns,  ammuni- 
tion, wood,  &c. ; and  all  this  was,  necessarily,  done  by  men’s 
labour : the  camp  was  being  regularly  fortified,  and  batte- 
ries and  lines  raised  wherever  they  could  add  to  its  strength. 
In  digging,  many  curious  antiquities  were  found,  and  par- 
ticularly cisterns,  baths,  &c.  one  of  which  was  so  perfect 
as  to  have  the  pipe  which  conducted  the  water  remaining, 
and  the  water- mark  of  its  dripping  perfectly  discernible  ! 

On  the  evening  of  the  23d  of  March  sir  Sidney  Smith 
went  with  a flag  of  truce  to  the  outposts,  and  demanded  to 
be  admitted  to  the  commandant  of  Alexandria.  Whilst  the 
officer  sent  an  express  to  his  head-quarters  a conversation 
commenced  between  him  and  the  soldiers,  respecting  their 
situation  and  the  affair  of  the  21st;  from  which  it  appeared 
that  they  by  no  means  fought  for  Egypt  because  they  wish- 
ed to  continue  in  the  country  ; indeed,  they  pitied  the  Eng- 
lish, who  had  now  so  fair  a prospect  of  possessing  it.  The 
affair  of  the  21st  they  regretted  as  most  fatal,  and  particu- 
larly to  a number  of  principal  officers  ; amongst  those  since 
dead  of  their  wounds,  they  mentioned  generals  Lanusse* 
and  Bodet ; they  further  stated  that  general  Menou  had  his 
horse  shot  under  him,  and  that  most  of  the  officers  of  his 
staff  had  been  wounded. 

The  answer  having  returned,  that  no  person  could  be 
allowed  to  pass  the  outposts,  sir  Sidney  Smith  sent  in  his 
letter  as  from  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  and  lord  Keith,  pro- 
posing an  evacuation  of  Egypt  to  the  French,  by  which 
they  might  return  to  France  without  being  considered  pris- 
oners of  war,  but  that  their  shipping,  artillery,  &c.  should 
be  surrendered  to  the  English  : this  letter  was  addressed 
purposely  to  the  commander  of  Alexandria.  The  next 
morning  general  Friant  returned  a note,  in  which  he  ex- 
pressed great  surprise  that  such  an  offer,  so  disrespectful  to 
the  army  of  the  east  and  himself,  should  be  made,  since 
circumstances  by  no  means  warranted  the  proposal,  and  that 

* AVe  find  an  honourable  anecdote  recorded  of  this  officer.  Being  very  severely 
wounded  in  the  thigh,  the  bone  of  which  was  shattered,  he  was  told,  that,  in  ordei  | 
to  save  liis  life,  he  must  submit  to  an  amputation.  To  this  operation  the  general  re- 
fused his  consent ; saving,  “ i do  not  wish  to  survive  this  disgracefel  day.”  A moi'P 
Station  ensued,  and  he  died  a few  days  after. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  387 

the  French  were  determined  to  defend  Egypt  to  the  last 
extremity. 

On  the  25th  March  the  captain  pacha,  with  6,000  men, 
arrived  in  the  bay  of  Aboukir,  and  the  next  day  landed, 
and  encamped  at  a little  distance  from  the  beach.  Near 
them  were  lying  the  remains  of  4,000  of  their  countrymen, 
who  had  perished  two  years  before.  The  corruption  of  that 
field  of  battle  was  still  intolerable  ; almost  wherever  a horse 
trod  the  impression  of  the  hoof  laid  bare  some  corpse,  with 
the  clothes  still  on  ! 

On  the  29th  sir  Sidney  Smith,  accompanied  by  major 
Montresor,  and  Isaac  Bey,  a character  well  known,  from 
| his  long  residence  in  Russia,  France,  England,  &c.  and  a 
man  of  superior  talents,  went  with  a flag  of  truce  to  the 
outposts,  as  on  the  part  of  the  captain  pacha,  lord  Keith, 

! and  sir  Ralplr.  Abercrombie  ; being  refused  admittance  into 
the  town,  they  were,  at  last,  obliged  to  send  in  their  dis- 
patch, to  which  no  answer  was  ever  received. 

It  was  on  the  morning  of  this  day  that  the  death  of  sir 
i Ralph  Abercrombie  was  known  ; he  had  borne  painful  ope- 
rations with  great  firmness,  but  the  ball  could  not  be  ex- 
tracted. At  length  a mortification  ensued,  and  he  died  on 
the  evening  of  the  28th,  having  always  expressed  the  great- 
est solicitude  for  the  army,  and  irritating  his  mind,  from  the 
first  moment,  with  the  anxiety  to  resume  his  command. 
His  loss  was  a severe  one ; his  death  universally  mourned : 
he  was  beloved  by  the  troops  for  his  kindness  and  attention 
to  their  welfare,  and  his  courage  was  their  pride  and  exam- 
ple. His  age,  combined  with  his  services,  exertions,  and 
manners,  rendered  him  an  object  of  enthusiastic  admiration. 
General,  afterwards  lord  Hutchinson,  paid  a just  and  af- 
fectionate tribute  to  his  memory,  in  the  following  well 
known  words  : 

“ Were  it  permitted  for  a soldier  to  regret  any  one  who 
! has  fallen  in  the  service  of  his  country,  I might  be  excused 
for  lamenting  him  more  than  any  other  person : but  it  is 
i some  consolation  to  those  who  tenderly  loved  him,  that,  as 
his  life  was  honourable,  so  was  his  death  glorious.  His 
memory  will  be  recorded  in  the  annals  of  his  country — -will 
be  sacred  to  every  British  soldier,  and  embalmed  in  the 
?!  recollection  of  a grateful  posterity.” 

Sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  had  endeared  himself  to  his  fami- 


388 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ly  by  the  habitual  practice  of  every  relative  and  social  duty ; 
by  the  amiable  ness  of  his  manners,  the  tenderness  of  his 
affections,  the  simplicity  and  integrity  of  his  life.  No  man 
ever  felt  more  deeply  the  awful  responsibility  attached  to  a 
commander  in  chief.  “ These  victories,”  replied  sir  Ralph, 
(being  congratulated  on  his  successes,)  “ make  me  melan- 
choly.” He  considered  war  as  a solemn,  though  a tr\  ing 
duty ; and  regarded  victory  of  no  value,  but  as  it  tended  to 
promote  the  interests  and  the  repose  of  society.  Such  a 
character  deserves  at  once  praise  and  admiration,  and  must 
be  reckoned  among  the  highest  benefactors  of  mankind. 

General  Hutchinson,  on  whom  the  command  now  de- 
volved, found  himself  succeeding  to  a situation,  unexpect- 
edly, under  circumstances  the  most  unfavourable.  The  pre- 
vious victories  must  have  inspired  hopes  in  England  and 
Europe,  nay,  almost  positive  confidence,  of  the  success  of 
the  expedition,  if  common  prudence  directed  the  opera- 
tions; and  Egypt,  after  the  battle  of  the  21st,  he  was 
aware,  would  be  considered  as  conquered.  His  trophies 
could  probably,  therefore,  be  but  few,  whilst  his  responsi- 
bility was  great ; he  saw,  however,  that  the  campaign  was 
but  commenced,  assuredly,  with  favourable  auspices,  but 
no  decided  superiority.  A greater  army  than  his  own  was 
still  to  be  combated,  strong  places  to  be  taken,  climate  to 
be  endured,  supplies  to  be  obtained  from  the  interior,  com- 
munications to  be  established  with  the  vizier  and  the  Indian 
army  ; and,  independently  of  these  formidable  difficulties, 
the  plague,  and  other  diseases,  menaced  to  reduce  his  force. 
Lord  Keith  also  assured  him,  that,  after  October,  he  could 
no  longer  remain  on  the  coast  with  the  shipping,  on  account 
of  the  weather  and  the  state  of  the  vessels. 

To  abandon  the  enterprise  was  infamy,  to  complete  it 
with  glory  a precarious  prospect ! an  attack  on  Alexandria 
was  too  desperate  an  enterprise  to  be  undertaken  ; but  to 
remain  inert  was  impossible  ; the  fleet  wanted  water,  the 
troops  fresh  provisions  ; he  therefore,  determined  to  make 
an  effort,  which,  if  successful,  might  procure  the  possession 
of  Rosetta  and  command  of  the  Nile.  The  58th  and  40th 
flank  companies,  with  a detachment  of  Homspech’s  hussars, 
consisting  of  thirty  men,  and  eight  pieces  of  cannon,  were 
spared  for  this  service.  With  this  corps  4,000  Turks,  who 
had  arrived  with  the  captain  pacha,  and  now  put  under  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


389 


orders  of  the  caia  bey,  were  destined  to  act.  Colonel  Spen- 
cer commanded  the  whole.  On  the  2d  of  April  the  corps 
inarched  for  Aboukir,  where  it  was  to  cross  the  ferry  and 
join  the  Turks. 

On  the  10th  of  April  Rosetta  was  captured.  Colonel 
Spencer,  having  passed  his  army  across  the  two  ferries,  had 
proceeded  on  the  7th  to  Edko,  keeping  his  right  upon  the 
lake,  and  only  detaching  patroles  along  the  beach  of  the  sea, 
by  which  he  also  avoided  the  melancholy  sight  of  the  num- 
ber of  dead  bodies,  thrown  overboard  from  the  hospital 
ships,  and  which  the  sea  had,  unhappily,  yielded  up  again. 
He  arrived  at  Edko  without  opposition.  The  Turks,  how- 
ever, had  given  him  much  uneasines  : as  they  kept,  by 
way  of  amusement,  firing  constantly  into  the  air  with  ball. 
On  the  morning  of  the  8th  the  army  arrived  before  Rosetta, 
after  a painful  march  across  the  desert  : where,  frequently, 
in  the  hollows  of  the  ground,  the  air  was  so  hot  as  to  ex- 
cite the  sensation  of  the  vertigo,  and  where,  from  the  mirage 
it  seemed  a lake  of  water,  reflecting  even  the  shade  of  the 
date-trees  : an  extraordinary  deception,  which  no  reasoning 
or  strength  of  sight  could  remove.  The  French,  to  the 
number  of  800  men,  were  draivn  up  in  front  of  Abouman- 
dour,  a very  high  sand-hill  above  the  Nile,  to  the  southward 
of  Rosetta,  on  which  was  an  old  tower  ; but,  as  colonel 
Spencer  approached,  the  greater  part  passed  across  the  Nile 
in  dgerms,  ready  for  the  purpose,  and  the  remainder  re- 
treated towards  El  Hamed  ; that  body  which  had  crossed 
the  river  drew  up  on  the  bank,  and  remained  so  posted  un- 
til two  guns  were  brought  up  and  fired  at  them,  which  killed 
and  wounded  several  men.  Colonel  Spencer  then  detach- 
ed the  queen’s  and  500  arnauts  to  occupy  Rosetta  and  block- 
ade Fort  St.  Julien,  while  he  proceeded  with  the  main  body 
to  El  Hamed. 

The  position  of  Ei  Hamed  was  remarkably  strong,  the 
right  being  on  the  lake,  the  left  on  the  Nile,  and  the  high- 
est banks  of  a canal  in  Egypt  running  along  the  front : but 
it  must  be  understood,  that  these  canals  are  not  like  those 
of  Europe,  as  they  have  no  water  in  them  except  at  high 
Nile,  the  level  of  the  country  forming  their  bed,  and  the 
banks  being  raised  above  it.  They  may  properly  be  call- 
ed canals  of  irrigation. 

When  the  army  first  arrived  on  the  banks  of  the  Nile,  a 


390 


THE  LIFE  OF 


dgerm  was  seen  sailing  up  it  from  Rosetta,  in  which  was  the 
commandant ; a great  number  of  shots  were  fired  at  him, 
but  he  persevered  and  escaped. 

The  easy  conquest  of  Rosetta  was  an  object  of  astonish- 
ment. It  had  been  considered  so  important  an  acquisition, 
that  its  capture  was  deemed  very  precarious  : indeed  colonel 
Spencer’s  instructions  were,  to  abandon  the  enterprise  if  he 
met  with  serious  resistance.  The  French,  had  they  sus- 
pected this  movement,  might  have  passed  a corps  round 
lake  Maadie,  and,  leaving  a post  at  Beda,  advanced  on  the 
isthmus  between  that  lake  and  lake  Edko,  thus  intercept- 
ing his  retreat,  while  an  attack  in  front  would  have  placed 
him  in  a desperate  situation  ; and,  had  there  been  an  enter- 
prising partisan  employed,  he  might  have  made  much  ad- 
vantage afterwards  of  that  movement,  and  considerably  dis- 
tressed the  English  by  destroying  the  ferry,  bridge,  &c.  &c. ; 
and  this  occasion  offered  until  the  2 1st  of  May,  when  Beda 
was  occupied  by  450  men  of  the  Coldstream,  and  the  3d 
guards,  20  dragoons,  with  four  pieces  of  cannon. 

This  negligence,  however,  was  only  one  of  the  many 
oversights  committed  by  the  French  during  this  campaign. 
It  should  seem  as  if  the  errors  of  Menou  were  infectious, 
and  spread  themselves  with  fatal  rapidity,  through  every  cor- 
ner of  the  camp.  Perhaps,  indeed,  an  easier  and  a more  nat- 
ural solution  of  these  blunders  may  be  discovered  : the  ar- 
my began  to  be  heartily  tired  of  their  situation  ; they  re- 
garded themselves  as  abandoned  to  their  destiny,  and  longed 
to  return  to  their  native  country.  No  longer  under  the 
guidance,  no  longer  held  in  awe  by  the  stern  severity  of 
Buonaparte,  they  relaxed  from  their  discipline,  and  lost  their 
ardour  for  glory  : the  impulse  had  died  away  by  the  deser- 
tion of  Buonaparte  and  the  murder  of  Kleber  ; and,  anx- 
ious only  to  quit  an  inhospitable  climate,  they  half  favoured 
their  own  defeats  by  the  unskilfulness  which  they  volunta- 
rily adopted. 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

The  facility  with  which  Rosetta  had  been  taken,  as  well 
as  St.  Julien,  inspired  well  founded  hopes,  and  general 
Hutchinson  determined  to  press  on  his  operations  against 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


391 


the  interior.  On  the  23d  of  April,  therefore,  he  sent  the 
quarter- master  general  and  his  staff,  and  on  the  26th  him- 
self arrived  at  Rosetta,  having,  on  his  way,  paid  a visit  to 
the  captain  pacha  in  Aboukir  bay,  who  had  returned  on 
board  of  his  ship. 

Towards  the  latter  end  of  April  a messenger  arrived  from 
Murad  bey,  with  an  answer  to  a letter  sent  from  the  Eng- 
lish commander  in  chief,  accompanied  by  the  grand  sig- 
nior’s  firman  and  the  captain  pacha’s  guarantee  of  protection. 
Our  readers  will  recollect,  that,  previously  to  the  arrival  of 
the  English,  the  grand  vizier  had  endeavoured  to  open  a 
negotiation  for  peace  with  Menou,  and  had  chosen  Murad 
bey  as  the  mediator  ; but  the  haughty  and  self-sufficient 
conduct  of  Menou  was  the  means  of  rendering  the  advan- 
ces of  the  vizier  nugatory.  Murad  bey,  by  this  messenger, 
assured  the  English  general,  that,  if  his  army  advanced  to- 
wards Cairo,  he  would  join  him  : but  observed,  he  dare  not 
make  a decisive  motion  previously  ; and  in  a letter  to  sir 
Sidney  Smith,  he  says,  “ How  can  I be  attached  to  the 
French  ? have  they  not  deprived  me  of  my  sovereignty, 
my  honour,  my  revenues  ? but  it  is  on  the  English  faith  , 
alone  I can  depend.  The  Turks  have  no  right  to  my  con- 
fidence.” Alluding  to  the  hostility  of  the  Turks  against 
him,  and  the  unnatural  inveteracy  of  people,  who  professed 
the  same  faith  ; he  beautifully  expresses  himself,  “ Melan- 
choly is  it  to  reflect,  that  the  arrow  which  has  stuck  in  the 
eagle’s  wing  was  an  arrow  made  of  an  eagle’s  feather  !” 

Shortly  after  this  period  advice  was  received  of  his  death. 
He  had  been  seized  with  the  plague  whilst  gradually  de- 
scending the  Nile,  to  join  the  English,  three  days  before  his 
decease,  and  expired  on  the  22d  of  April.  On  his  death- 
bed he  charged  Osman  Bey  Tambourgi,  (so  named  from 
having  originally  been  a drummer  among  the  Mamelukes,) 
whom  he  had  recommended  as  his  successor,  to  attach  him- 
self to  the  English.  The  beys  and  Mamelukes  regretted 
the  death  of  this  extraordinary  man  sincerely  ; and,  when 
they  buried  him  at  Saouague,  near  Tahta,  they  paid  the 
compliment  to  his  valour,  of  breaking  his  sabre  into  his 
grave,  as  an  expression  that  no  one  else  was  worthy  of  wear- 
ing his  arms. 

“ Murad  Bey,”  says  general  Reynier,  “ was  no  ordinary 
man  ; he  possessed  in  an  eminent  degree  the  virtues  and  the 


392 


THE  LIFE  Of 


weaknesses  which  attach  to  that  point  of  civilization  the 
Mamelukes  are  arrived  at.  Abandoned  to  all  the  impetuos- 
ity of  his  passions,  in  his  first  emotions  he  was  terrible  ; 
but  his  vehemence  frequently  subsided  in  an  extreme 
weakness.  Gifted  by  nature  with  that  ascendancy  of  char- 
acter which  marks  man  for  empire,  he  possessed  the  instinct 
to  command  without  any  knowledge  of  the  duties  of  a gov- 
ernor. Prodigal  and  rapacious,  he  lavished  on  all  his  friends, 
and  then  oppressed  the  people  to  supply  his  own  wants. 
To  these  general  traits  must  be  added  an  extraordinary 
strength  of  body,  a courage  not  to  be  daunted,  and  a confi- 
dence superior  to  misfortune,  which  never,  fora  moment,  de- 
serted him  in  all  the  numerous  crisis  of  his  distracted  life.’* 

The  loss  of  such  a man  may  be  considered  as  an  essen- 
tial drawback  upon  the  prosperous  circumstances  of  our 
arms.  It  is  hardly  possible  to  calculate  the  degree  of  ad- 
vantage that  might  have  been  drawn  from  an  ally  of  his 
character,  acquainted  with  the  natural  resources  of  the  coun- 
try, and  endeared  to  its  inhabitants  by  so  many  estimable 
qualities. 

The  main  army  now  continued  moving  on.  On  the  7th 
of  May  the  Turkish  cavalry  arrived,  as  a reinforcement  of 
the  British  forces.  These  troops  were  not  real  Turks,  but 
Syrians,  almost  naked,  many  without  arms,  beyond  belief 
miserably  mounted,  totally  undisciplined  even  to  savage 
wildness  ! Such  a reinforcement  (and  their  force  did  not  ex- 
ceed 600  men)  offered  no  great  advantage,  yet  was  not  to 
be  rejected.  The  captain  pacha  was  vexed,  particularly  at 
the  defalcation  of  their  numbers. 

On  the  9th  of  May  the  English  army  reached  Rahmanieh, 
which,  after  a severe  action,  surrendered  to  them,  and  the 
enemy  retreated  to  Cairo.  The  greater  part  of  their  flotilla 
was  prevented  from  escaping  by  the  batteries  on  the  right 
of  the  Nile,  and  became  the  property  of  the  victors.  The 
loss  of  Rahmanieh,  it  is  said,  deeply  affected  the  French. 
By  this  event  Alexandria  was  insulated,  and  the  end  for 
which  Rahmanieh  had  been  occupied  by  Menou,  the  com- 
mand of  the  Delta,  and  the  landing  of  the  troops  under  Gan- 
theaume,  appeared  no  longer  attainable.  The  loss  of  the 
British  in  this  affair  amounted  to  four  officers  wounded,  six 
men  killed,  and  nineteen  wounded;  the  Turks  suffered 
more  considerably.  The  French  lost  about  one  hundred  men, 

i 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


393 


About  this  period,  general  Menou,  who  remained  at  Al- 
exandria, became  more  and  more  jealous  of  the  other  of- 
ficers. The  loss  of  Rahmanieh  raised  great  murmurs 
through  the  army  against  him,  who,  having  steadily  persist- 
ed in  the  impossibility  of  the  event,  had  concerted  no  meas- 
ures to  provide  for  its  consequences.  These  murmurs 
reached  his  ear,  together  with  expressions  of  the  esteem 
and  confidence  with  which  the  troops  distinguished  general 
Reynier.  The  report,  at  that  time  in  circulation,  that  this 

! general  was  appointed  to  the  command  of  the  army,  and 
general  Menou  restricted  to  the  civil  administration  of 
Egypt,  augmented  his  jealousy,  which  was  the  more  violent, 
because  he  could  not  disguise  from  himself  that  general 
Reynier  had  foretold  the  successive  disasters  of  the  army, 
and  pointed  out  the  means  of  preventing  them.  He  thence- 
forth resolved  to  banish  him  ; he  was  conveyed,  forcibly, 
on  board  a vessel,  ready  to  sail  for  Europe,  and  where  he  al- 
[ so  found  general  Dumas  ; Daure,  principal  commissary  : 

! Boyer,  adjutant-commandant,  and  several  other  offictrs. 
General  Reynier  wrote  an  expostuiatory  letter  to  Menou, 
full  of  bitterness  and  invective. 

The  battle  of  Rahmanieh  was  an  event  of  more  ultimate 
than  immediate  importance  : much  yet  remained  to  be  done. 
The  French  had  retired,  and,  though  repulsed,  were  not. 
weakened  : their  concentrated  force  from  Cairo  might  al- 
ways advance  ; they  had  lost  a position,  yet  still  possessed 
the  capital,  and  principal  fortress  of  the  country. 

Every  thing,  therefore,  now  depended  upon  the  move- 
ments of  general  Hutchinson  ; whether  he  should  move  on- 
wards towards  Cairo,  or  fall  back  upon  Alexandria.  There 
were  many  reasons  for  and  against  either  measure  : the  pop- 
ular opinion  was  for  the  latter,  for  the  fatigues  of  advanc- 
| ing  further  into  the  country  were  dreaded.  Besides,  it  was 
argued,  that,  should  Cairo  be  conquered,  still  Egypt  would 
not  be  ours,  while  the  French  had  possession  of  Alexan 
dria  : while,  on  the  contrary,  if  the  latter  were  taken,  Cairo, 
must,  eventually,  capitulate. 

These  various  objections  distracted,  for  some  time,  the 
mind  of  the  commander  in  chief  ; he  was  fully  aware  of 
the  truth  of  the  last  argument,  but  still  he  was  unable  to 
conceive  he  could  successfully  attack  Alexandria  while 
general  Belliard’s  army  remained  in  force  ; he  dreaded  also 


394 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  difficulties  which  were  to  be  surmounted  by  the  troops 
under  his  command  : but,  at  last,  he  decided  that  the  move- 
ment was  indispensible.  “ My  natural  habits  and  present 
state  of  health,”  said  he,  “ would  persuade  me  not  to  at- 
tempt a march  where  such  exertion  must  be  necessary,  and 
in  which,  probably,  I shall  fall  a sacrifice  to  the  climate  ; 
but  my  duty  to  my  king  and  country,  and  the  gallant  men 
who  have  been  employed  in  this  expedition,  determine  me 
to  undertake  it.  If  I succeed,  great  will  be  my  satisfaction 
to  find  that  my  capacity  did  not  betray  their  interests  ; if  I 
fail,  the  consciousness  of  integrity,  and  the  most  ardent  de- 
votion for  their  glory  and  welfare  will  support  me  in  retire- 
ment.” In  this  decision  general  Hutchinson  remained  fix- 
ed, though  considerable  opposition  was  made  to  it. 

The  intrenched  camp  ot  Rahmanieh  was  given  up  to  the 
Turks,  who  left  a garrison  of  about  300  men  in  the  fort. 

About  this  time  a convoy  of  dgerms,  coming  from  Cairo 
by  lake  Menouf,  ignorant  of  the  retreat  ol  general  Legrange 
from  Rahmanieh,  fell  into  the  possession  of  the  English, 
with  150  prisoners,  and  several  guns,  intended  for  the  de- 
fence of  Alexandria.  The  convoy  was  extremely  valuable, 
consisting  of  eiothing,  wine,  spirits,  stores,  and  nearly  five 
thousand  pounds  in  money. 

When  the  Mamelukes  took  possession  of  Cairo,  after 
the  battle  of  Heliopolis,  they  rendered  a most  important  ser- 
vice to  the  vizier,  by  recalling  the  French  from  the  pursuit 
of  his  flying  forces  and  employing  them  in  the  reduction  of 
that  city  : his  army  b.  ing  thus  preserved  from  absolute  dis- 
persion was  permitted  to  recruit  at  Jaffa  : but  here  it  im- 
movcably  remained  ; the  vizier  having  resolved  not  to  move 
a step  to  the  assistance  of  the  English,  till,  in  fact,  they  had 
conquered  ior  themselves  : it  was  not,  therefore,  until  in- 
formed of  the  brilliant  success  of  his  allies,  and  aided  by 
their  artillery  and  officers,  that  he  was  induced  to  march,  at 
the  head  of  23,000  men,  with  whom  he  reached  Belbcis  on 
the  7th  of  May,  and  immediately  threw  up  intrenchments. 
Numbers,  who  only  waited  to  ascertain  whether  this  army 
would  pass  the  desert  unmolested,  convinced  of  their  secu- 
rity, now  flocked  to  his  standard.  The  French  forces  at 
Cairo,  under  general  Belliard,  being,  about  this  time, 
strengthened  by  the  junction  of  general  Legrange  from  Rah- 
manieh, it  was  resolved  to  defeat  the  vizier  before  the  arri- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


395 


val  of  the  Anglo- Turkish  army,  commanded  by  general 
Hutchinson  : nearly  5,000  infantry  and  900  cavalry,  chiefly 
from  Rahmanieh,  were  selected  for  the  execution  of  this 
design.  Had  the  French  been  permitted  to  make  an  attack 
on  such  a rabble  as  the  Turkish  army,  which  they  would 
have  done,  and  probably  in  the  night,  their  defeat  would 
have  been  certain;  major  Holloway,  major  Hope,  of  the  ar- 
tillery, and  other  English  officers  who  were  present,  tlv  refore 
persuaded  the  vizier  to  anticipate  an  attack  by  making  one. 

On  the  15th  of  May  his  highness  the  grand  vizier  recei- 
ved intelligence  that  the  enemy  were  in  full  march  from  Cai- 
ro on  the  road  towards  Belbeis.  The  vizier,  after  it  was 
dark,  ordered  Tahir  Bashaw,  with  3,000  cavalry  and  three 
light  field-pieces,  to  advance  to  meet  them,  and,  if  a favour- 
able opportunity  should  offer  during  the  obscurity  of  the 
night,  to  attack  ; but,  if  not,  to  impede  their  march  as 
much  as  possible.  About  ten  o’clock  at  night  they  met, 
threeleagues  from  the  Ottoman  camp,  when  each  halted,  and 
lay  on  their  arms  during  the  night,  and  until  eight  o’clock 
in  the  morning,  at  which  time  Tahir  Bashaw  commenced 
an  attack  ; he  was,  soon  after,  reinforced  by  1,500  cavalry. 
It  was  now  found  that  the  enemy  had  come  forward  with 
about  14  pieces  of  artillery,  600  cavalry,  and  4,000  infantry  ; 
the  vizier,  therefore,  ordered  Mahomed  Bashaw  to  move 
forward  with  5,000  men,  cavalry  and  Albanian  infantry,  and 
nine  light  field  pieces  : (the  French  had  eight-pounders  in 
the  field.)  The  other  English  officers,  besides  major  Hol- 
loway and  major  Hope,  were  captain  Lacy,  of  the  royal  en- 
gineers, and  captain  Leake,  of  the  royal  artillery  : captain 
Lacey  accompanied  Mahomed  Bashaw,  and  captain  Leake 
Tahir  Bashaw.  Each  of  these  officers  received  their  orders 
from  major  Holloway,  remaining  still  near  the  person  of  the 
vizier ; who  after  sending  forward  his  advanced  guard, 
came  up  himself  and  took  the  command.  Major  Hope  was 
with  the  artillery. 

The  enemy  moved  into  a wood  of  date-trees,  where  they 
were  attacked  by  the  Turkish  cavalry  and  infantry  with 
great  spirit  for  three  hours  ; when,  retiring  from  the  w7ood, 
they  took  a position  on  the  left,  their  left  flanked  by  a wood 
and  forming  a hollow'  square  on  the  right.  The  Albanese 
infantry  advanced  to  the  edge  of  the  wood,  and  in  this  situ- 
ation galled  them  much  ; and,  on  the  Turks  threatening 


i'HE  LIFE  OF 


their  right  the  French  changed  their  position  and  attempted 
to  gain  the  heights,  in  which  they  were  prevented  by  a rap- 
id movement  of  Turkish  cavalry,  who  gained  the  summit : 
in  this  manoeuvre  they  were  annoyed  by  two  guns,  which 
were  advanced  on  the  occasion.  At  this  time  the  French 
commenced  a decided  retreat,  and  were  driven  beyond  El 
Hanka,  a distance  of  not  less  than  seven  miles  from  the  place 
of  the  first  operations.  The  grand  vizier,  who  command- 
ed his  troops  with  great  gallantry  and  prompt  decision,  then 
gave  orders  for  them  not  to  pursue  them  any  farther. 

The  affair  lasted  seven  hours ; but,  although  there  was 
much  firing,  still  the  loss,  as  stated,  was  inconsiderable  : yet 
it  is  not  by  the  number  of  killed  and  wounded  that  the  im- 
portance of  this  battle  is  to  be  estimated  ; but  it  must  be 
considered  as  discomfiting  the  projects  of  the  French,  ren- 
dering the  surprising  efforts  of  their  march  a useless  exer- 
tion, elevating  the  spirits  of  the  Turks,  and  inspiring  confi- 
dence among  their  friends  in  Cairo  and  the  country. 

While  this  passed  on  the  side  of  Cairo,  fort  Lesbeh  sur- 
rendered to  a detachment  from  the  vizier’s  army.  These 
successes  reanimated  the  drooping  energy  of  the  vizier,  and 
taught  him  to  confide  in  the  spirit  and  genius  of  his  allies  ; 
(for  it  must  be  remembered  that  the  disposition  of  the  Turk- 
ish, army,  the  order  of  march,  and  all  their  movements, 
were  arranged  by  major  Holloway  :)  he,  and  all  the  British 
officers  present,  very  much  distinguished  themselves  by  their 
exertions,  and  the  vizier  was  sensible  of  their  merits. 
General  Reynier,  with  his  usual  perversion,  augments  the 
vizier’s  army  with  five  hundred  English  artillery  : thus 
clothing  twenty -nine  men  with  five  hundred  buckfam  jack- 
ets ! 

The  consequences  of  this  victory  were  eminently  favour- 
able to  the  allied  powers  : those  who  consider  how  easily 
men  are  depressed  and  how  easily  exalted,  and  how  much 
depends  upon  the  state  of  internal  conviction  with  which 
armies  go  to  battle,  will  fully  appreciate  the  effect  of  the 
victory  at  El  Hanka  upon  the  minds  of  the  Turks  ; a race 
of  men  once  renowned  in  arms,  and,  even  now,  mindful  of 
their  high  character,  fatalists  too,  and,  therefore,  as  easily 
sunk  and  elevated  as  children. 

The  inhabitants  of  Cairo  saw  the  French  return  baffled 
and  dejected ; they  beheld  the  Ottomans  pursuing,  and  their 


NAPOLEON  BTJONA*  A~__ 

crescent  triumphant  as  far  as  Heliopolis,  where  the  grand 
vizier,  who  had  distinguished  himself  in  the  action,  passed 
the  night  in  the'  full  pride  of  victory.  The  lucky  termina- 
tion of  this  battle  relieved  general  Hutchinson  from  his 
anxiety  and  secured  a freedom  of  operations. 

On  the  23d,  general  Hutchinson  being  desirous  to  hold 
a conference  with  the  grand  vizier,  that  the  future  plan  of 
operations  might  be  arranged,  left  the  camp,  with  the  cap- 
tain pacha,  and  went  in  his  barge  by  the  canal  of  Menouf. 
This  day  was  memorable  for  a sirocco  wind,  which  darken- 
ed with  a burning  mist  the  atmosphere  : the  thermometer 
was  at  120  in  the  shade  ; the  ground  was  heated  like  the 
floor  of  a furnace  ! every  thing  that  was  metallic,  such  as 
arms,  buttons,  knives,  8cc.  became  burning  hot ; the  poul- 
try exposed  to  the  air,  and  several  horses  and  camels,  died ; 
respiration  was  difficult,  and  the  lungs  were  parched  with 
the  fiery  particles  ! Had  the  heat  continued  forty-eight  hours 
I . the  effects  would  have  been  dreadful ; but,  happily,  as  night 
drew  on,  the  wind  cooled,  and,  at  last,  changed  to  the 
north-west. 

General  Hutchinson  continued  in  his  resolution  of  ad- 
vancing towards  Cairo  : he  was  now  joined  by  his  Turkish 
allies,  and  they  continued  their  painful  and  adventurous 
progress  with  various  delays  and  obstructions ; it.  was  not 
till  the  20th  of  June  that  he  arrived  at  Embabeh,  before 
Giza. 

The  general  had  intended  to  change  the  front  of  the  army 
and  take  up  an  oblique  position,  so  as  to  approach  with  his 
right  nearer  the  point  of  attack  ; when,  on  the  22d  of  June, 
early  in  the  morning,  a French  officer,  from  Giza,  with  a 
flag  of  truce,  was  brought  in  to  the  general,  by  captain  Tay- 
lor. He  came  from  general  Belliard,  to  require  that  an  Eng- 
lish officer  might  be  sent  to  a conference  he  proposed.  The 
general  consented,  and  he  sent  to  know  of  what  rank  the 
officer  should  be.  The  answer  was  returned,  That,  as  the 
matter  to  be  discussed  was  of  the  highest  importance,  it 
was  requested  that  a general  officer  might  be  sent : general 
Hope  was,  therefore,  named,  who  met  a French  colonel  of 
engineers  (Pouissard)  near  Giza,  and  staid  with  him  a long 
time. 

The  next  morning,  by  agreement,  general  Moran  and 
general  Hope  met  under  the  trees  near  Giza : three  tents 


398 


THE  LIFE  OF 


were  pitched  for  them  and  their  attendants  : a guard  of  hon- 
our, composed  of  grenadiers  and  cavalry,  attended  each. 

General  Belliard  had,  at  first,  proposed  that  each  party 
should  have  an  armed  escort : but  general  Hutchinson  an- 
swered, That,  between  the  troops  of  civilized  nations,  such 
a precaution  could  not  be  necessary : a reply  which  hand- 
somely maintained  the  dignity  of  his  allies. 

The  French  obtained  a singularly  mild  capitulation, 
more  like  what  would  be  granted  to  one’s  own  country- 
men in  a state  of  rebellion,  where  humanity,  policy,  and 
every  consideration  would  dictate  such,  than  to  a foreign 
and  a rancorous  enemy.  It  has  been  asserted,  indeed, 
that  the  terms  were  as  hard  as  we  had  any  right  to  impose ; 
more  especially,  when  the  strength  of  the  garrison  of  Cairo 
is  considered,  for  the  French  commissary,  (agreeably  to  the 
capitulation,)  demanded  no  less  than  seventeen  thousand 
daily  ratios  ! if  we  add  to  this  the  sickly  state  of  the  army, 
the  advance  of  the  season  when  the  Nile  overflows,  and 
other  considerations,  they  will  be  found  materially  to  justify 
the  leniency. 

On  the  6th  of  July,  the  grand  vizier  reviewed  his  army, 
and  the  same  day  general  Kleber’s  coffin  was  removed  from 
fort  Ibrahim  Bey,  where  it  had  been  deposited  ; the  French 
army  having  resolved  to  carry  with  them  his  remains  to 
France.  The  vizier  arrived  at  the  instant  when  the  French 
commenced  firing  their  minute  guns,  which  the  English  ar- 
tillery were  directed  to  answer.  “ The  French  lines,”  says 
sir  R.  Wilson,  “ presented  a gloomy  scene  of  mourning ; 
for,  at  the  obsequies  of  general  Kleber,  real  sorrow  again 
agitated  every  heart.  It  was  not  the  muffled  beat,  the  trap- 
pings of  ceremony,  the  imposing  stillness  of  parade,  but 
the  silent  manliness  of  unaffected  grief,  which  diffused  tho 
mournful  solemnity.  Every  soldier,  as  the  coffin  passed, 
felt  that  therein  their  benefactor’s — a father’s  bones,  reposed ; 
a leader,  whose  intrepidity  had  been  their  admiration  and 
example ; whose  talents  had  often  secured  them  the  victory, 
and  who,  in  the  hour  of  distress,  never  abandoned  them ! 
the  man,  who,  when  Buonaparte  deserted  them,  cheered 
their  desponding  spirits  by  his  paternal  exhortations,  and 
whose  exertions  were  constantly  devoted  to  their  welfare. 
They  dwelt  on  his  purity,  they  reflected  on  his  fate,  and 
Kleber  became  deified  and  adored.  Had  Buonaparte  wit- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


399 


nessed  this  scene,  he  would  have  himself  regretted,  perhaps, 
the  exclamation  which  he  made,  with  indignant  pride,  when 
Kleber,  wishing  to  heal  up  some  differences  which  had  ex- 
isted between  them,  began  his  letter  with  the  fraternal  term 
of  “ Camarade‘n- — “ Camarade  ! Camarade  ! Qu'est  cequ'il 
y a de  commun  entre  Kleber  et  moi 

“ Fortunate  it  was  for  Buonaparte  that  the  hand  of  an 
assassin  deprived  Kleber  of  life ; his  word  was  passed,  his 
resolution  fixed,  to  take  ample  vengeance  : nor  did  personal 
resentment  alone  urge  him:  the  public  wrong  he  had  also 
pledged  himself  to  redress,  neither  would  the  aggrandize- 
ment of  his  rival  have  humiliated  him  by  servile  obsequi- 
ousness and  dereliction  from  his. oath.” 

During  the  night  of  the  10th,  the  French  evacuated  Cairo, 
and  sent  notice  of  their  intention  to  colonel  Stuart.  An 
arrangement  had  been  previously  made,  that  when  Cairo 
was  taken  possession  of,  which  was  not  expected  before  the 
morning  of  the  11th,  a detachment  of  the  captain  pacha’s 
body  guard  should  enter  also ; but  as  this  early  evacuation 
was  not  known  till  very  late  at  night,  the  quartermaster-gen- 
eral who  happened  to  be  on  the  eastern  side,  on  the  emer- 
gency of  the  moment,  directed  the  39th  to  march  directly, 
and  occupy  the  citadel.  When  the  captain  pacha  knew 
this,  he  was  extremely  angry,  and  complained  of  being  de- 
ceived, and  he  could  scarcely  be  pacified  by  the  representa- 
tion of  the  circumstances. 

On  the  14th  of  July,  general  Hutchinson  presented  the 
officers  of  each  English  regiment  with  a puncheon  of  Sicil- 
ian wine,  which  proved  a most  agreeable  donation  to  them, 
for  many  had  not  tasted  a drop  of  any  kind  since  their  leav- 
ing Alexandria;  never,  indeed,  had  an  army  before  been 
so  abstemious,  and,  consequently,  so  well  conducted. 

On  the  15th,  at  day  break,  the  French  totally  evacuated 
Giza,  and,  with  the  allied  army,  began  their  march  ior  Ro- 
setta. General  Hutchinson  remained  at  Cairo ; not  only 
being  ill,  but  wishing  to  settle  the  arrangements  for  the  go- 
vernment of  Egypt,  and  reinstate  the  Mamelukes,  as  he  was, 
by  treaty,  bound  to  effect. 

This  march,  was,  perhaps,  the  most  extraordinary  ever 
made : the  variety  of  nations  which  composed  tne  armies, 
witn  ail  the  relative  circumstances,  rendered  it  peculiarly  in- 
teresting. 


400 


THE  LIFE  OF 


On  the  16th  of  July  lieutenant  Budgin  arrived  from  gen- 
eral Baird,  with  the  intelligence  of  his  having  reached  Cu- 
nei  with  a division  of  his  army.  General  Baird  had  sailed 
from  India  in  the  latter  end  of  the  month  of  December,  with 
the  view  of  co-operating  with  the  army  from  Europe  desti- 
ned to  invade  Egypt ; and  a division  of  troops  from  the  cape 
were  ordered  to  join  him  in  the  Red  sea.  His  object  was 
to  land  at  Suez,  and  act  according  to  those  circumstances 
he  should  become  acquainted  with  there  ; since,  at  such  a 
distance,  no  positive  operations  could  have  been  prescribed: 
the  hope  was,  however,  always  entertained  that  he  would 
arrive  in  time  to  assist  the  European  army,  even  in  debark- 
ation, by  dividing  the  French  force.  Unfortunately,  the 
monsoon  had  commenced  before  his  entrance  into  the  Red 
sea,  in  the  month  of  April,  and  it  was  found  impossible  to 
gain  his  destination : but  learning,  at  Jedda,  the  success  of 
the  English  on  the  21st  of  March,  (which  intelligence  had 
been  transmitted  to  him  by  admiral  Blanket,)  he  determined 
to  land  at  Cossir,  and  brave  the  difficulties  of  the  desert,  in 
the  hopes  of  affording  a considerable  support  to  general 
Hutchinson  and  contributing  to  the  final  conquest  of  the 
country. 

On  the  8th  of  June  he  arrived  at  Cossir,  and  found  colo- 
nel Murray,  the  adjutant-general,  who  had  preceded  him, 
and  reached  that  port  with  a very  small  advanced  guard,  on 
the  14th  of  May  ; but  the  greater  part  of  the  army  was  still 
missing,  and  none  of  the  troops  from  the  cape  had  arrived: 
anxious,  however,  to  promote  the  general  service,  he  em- 
ployed himself  in  preparing  the  means  for  enabling  his 
army  to  pass  the  desert,  in  which  he  was  assisted  by  the 
vizier’s  firmans  ; and,  in  a short  time,  he  found  himself 
provided  with  5,000  camels  ! Having  made  the  necessary 
preparations,  he  set  out  for  Cunei,  (or  Kinneh,)  where  he 
arrived  on  the  30th  of  June,  and  immediately  arranged  the 
march  of  the  remaining  divisions  ; facilitating  their  passage 
by  establishing  posts  at  the  different  wells  in  the  desert  and 
digging  others.  It  was  not  till  the  latter  end  of  July  that 
his  army  had  assembled,  and,  even  then,  several  detach- 
ments were  missing : the  collected  force,  including  the 
troops  from  the  cape,  amounted  to  5,2z6  rank  and  file. 

General  Hutchinson  found  himself  compelled  to  order 
general  Baird  to  proceed  to  Cairo  ; although  he  much  wish- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


401 


ed  to  have  allowed  of  his  re-embarkation  with  his  army, 
as  there  were  other  very  important  objects  for  that  body  of 
troops  to  be  employed  upon  : but  there  was  every  reason 
to  suppose  that  the  French  would  attempt  to  throw  strong 
succours  into  Egypt,  and  he  did  not,  therefore,  think  himself 
justified  in  risking  the  departure  of  such  a considerable 
force. 

Meanwhile  the  French  army,  who  had  evacuated  Cairo, 
continued  on  their  march  towards  Rosetta,  and,  when  they 
arrived  at  Derout,  the  French  passed  the  English,  in  order 
to  be  ready  for  their  embarkation.  The  real  effective  state 
of  this  army  was  then  ascertained,  as  the  principal  English 
officers  posted  themselves  at  a narrow  pass  to  see  them  file 
by  : they  could  scarcely,  however,  credit  their  own  sight, 
when  they  beheld  an  army  of  above  10,000  men,  with  50 
pieces  of  artillery,  and  its  compliment  of  ammunition,  de- 
file before  them,  independently  of  the  guards,  &c.  in  the 
dgerms  ! They  then  fully  felt  the  wisdom  of  the  capitula- 
tion of  Cairo,  with  all  its  leniency,  when  they  connected 
this  army  with  various  local  difficulties,  that  the  approach- 
ing season  would  produce. 

On  the  29th  of  July  general  Hutchinson  (who  had  recei- 
ved at  Cairo  the  letter  announcing  his  majesty’s  high  appro- 
bation of  his  conduct,  and  of  his  being  decorated  with  the 
order  of  the  bath)  arrived  at  Rosetta  : he  came  in  a barge 
provided  by  the  vizier.  The  general,  on  quitting  Cairo, 
conceived  that  every  proper  arrangement  had  been  made  for 
the  government  of  Egypt,  and  he  left  the  Mamelukes  im- 
pressed with  gratitude  towards  him.  His  health,  being  ex- 
tremely bad,  he  was  obliged  to  go  on  board  lord  Keith’s 
ship,  in  the  hopes  of  sea  air  recovering  him  ; and  where  he 
proposed  to  remain  until  the  English  army  of  Cairo  joined 
general  Coote  before  Alexandria. 

General  Menou  had  been  made  acquainted  with  the  sur- 
render of  Cairo  on  the  7th  of  July  : this  intelligence  he  re- 
ceived with  the  greatest  vexation,  as  he  wished  general  Bel- 
liard  to  have  held  out,  on  three  probable  chances  of  relief. 
First,  The  landing  of  the  succours,  which  general  Ganthe- 
aume  was  endeavouring  to  throw  in,  might  have  changed 
the  aspect  of  affairs.  It  is  true,  the  Heliopolis  corvette  had 
announced,  on  the  19th  of  May,  that  the  French  fleet  had 
been  within  30  leagues  of  the  coast,  when  a conyo.v  was 

51 


1 


402  the  life  of 

seen  passing,  which  the  French  admiral  mistaking  for  the 
English  fleet,  cut  his  cables  and  bore  away,  but  his  return 
might  still  be  expected.  Secondly,  The  negotiations  for 
peace  were  known  to  be  commenced,  and  a favourable  issue 
expected  to  them.  Thirdly,  The  rising  of  the  Nile  was  a 
guarantee,  that,  beyond  a certain  period  the  siege  could  not 
be  carried  on. 

The  army  from  Cairo  having  joined  that  before  Alexan- 
dria, general  Hutchinson  arrived  on  the  15th  August,  and 
determined  immediately  to  besiege  Alexandria  on  the  east- 
ern and  western  fronts,  an  army  of  sixteen  thousand  effect- 
ive men  being  under  his  command.  There  had  been  no 
possibility  to  commence  operation  sooner,  for  all  the  boats 
had  been  occupied  in  embarking  the  French  ; and  as  both 
the  corps,  to  the  eastward  and  westward,  were  to  depend  on 
the  fleet  for  daily  supplies,  two  such  important  objects  re- 
quired their  whole  service. 

On  the  evening  of  the  16th,  the  boats  having  assembled 
in  the  inundation,  immediately  on  the  left  of  the  position, 
the  division  of  the  army,  in  all  about  4,000  men,  embarked 
and  sailed. 

The  instructions  of  the  left  column  were,  to  storm  the 
Green  Hill,  on  the  right  of  the  French  line,  and  on  the  right 
to  occupy  the  Nole  Hill,  about  a quarter  of  a mile  in  front 
of  the  French  left,  for  the  object  of  reconnoitring.  General 
Doyle  moved  forwards  ; the  30th  regiment  directing  itself 
against  the  work  on  the  left  of  the  Green  Hill  ; the  50th  to 
that  on  the  right  ; and  the  92d  had  orders  to  remain  in  re- 
serve at  an  intermediate  point,  at  the  base  of  the  Nile. 

Very  little  opposition  was  made,  and  the  troops  took 
possession  of  the  works,  which  proved  open  batteries,  the 
artillery  of  which  had  been  previously  removed. 

General  Moore  had  also  advanced  on  the  right,  and  oc- 
cupied with  the  Lowestein  chasseurs,  the  Nole  Hill : the 
resistance  he  had  met  with  was  also  trifling,  although  the 
French  were  on  the  alerte  during  the  night,  from  a cannon- 
ade which  was  kept  up  from  the  Pharos  against  some  Eng- 
lish boats  standing  in  close  to  the  harbour. 

As  soon,  however,  as  the  French  found  their  picquets  at- 
tacked, fearing  a general  assault,  they  beat  to  arms,  and  im- 
mediately began  a heavy  lire  lrom  their  works,  which  con- 
tinued, without  intermission,  three  hours. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


403 


At  seven  o’clock  a body  of  French,  to  the  amount  of 
600,  unexpectedly,  appeared  on  the  right  of  their  position, 
whence  they  advanced  rapidly  against  the  Green  Hill  and 
the  post  partially  possessed  by  the  30th. 

General  Coote  had  wished  to  disembark  between  Mara- 
bou and  Alexandria  ; but,  perceiving  a corps  of  the  ene- 
my on  that  part  of  the  isthmus,  he  left,  opposite  to  them, 
general  Finch’s  brigade,  to  make  a feint,  while  he  stood  on 
with  the  remainder  about  three  miles  farther,  where,  without 
anv  opposition,  he  landed. 

A position  was  immediately  taken  up  to  cover  the  siege  of 
Marabou.  In  the  night  of  the  18th  general  Coote  having,  with 
the  unremitting  exertions  of  the  officers  of  artillery,  estab- 
lished two  batteries  with  mortars,  and  three  24-pounders  in 
them,  against  fort  Marabou,  directed  the  bombardment  to 
commence.  The  celerity  with  which  the  guns  had  been 
brought  up  was  a remarkable  effort  of  zeal,  as  they  had  to 
be  carried  over  almost  inaccessible  rocks,  in  which  vast 
quarries  were  hewn  out,  as  is  supposed,  for  the  building  of 
the  ancient  Alexandria. 

The  breadth  of  the  isthmus  from  the  lake  to  Marabou  is 
about  half  a mile  ; the  islet  of  Marabou  is  situated  at  the 
western  extremity  of  the  harbour,  and,  commanding  one  of 
the  channels,  is  separated  from  the  continent  by  a reef  of 
rocks,  of  a hundred  and  fifty  yards  in  extent,  which,  except 
directly  in  the  centre,  is  fordable. 

The  French  had  constructed  a very  strong  regular  fort  on 
this  islet,  round  a tower,  formerly  a mosque  : but  the  length 
of  the  islet  not  being  above  three  hundred  yards,  and  its 
breadth  one  hundred  and  fifty,  shot  could  sweep  over  the 
whole.  About  12  o’clock  on  the  day  of  the  20th,  the 
tower  of  Marabou  fell.  As  the  fall  of  the  tower  might  be 
supposed,  probably,  to  have  filled  up  the  ditch  of  the  fort, 
and,  in  that  case,  rendered  an  assault  practicable,  four  com- 
panies of  the  54th  were  ordered  to  be  in  readiness  for  that 
service:  and,  at  the  same  time,  general  Coote  wishing  to 
spare  the  effusion  of  blood,  sent  colonel  Duncan  with  a 
summons  to  the  French  commandant,  who,  at  first,  hesita- 
ted to  capitulate  ; but  on  colonel  Duncan’s  representing  to 
him  the  certain  fate  which  awaited  his  garrison,  if  he  refused 
to  surrender,  and,  particularly,  as  he  could  not  regularly  de- 
fend the  place,  he,  at  last,  consented. 


404 


THE  LIFE  OF 


On  the  morning  of  the  23d  general  Hutchinson  passed 
over  to  the  westward,  in  order  to  examine  the  state  of  the 
fortifications  on  that  side  ; as  he  was  returning  in  the  even- 
ing to  his  camp  the  French  fired  a few  shot  at  his  boat, 
without  effect.  In  the  evening  of  the  24th,  an  aid-de-camp 
of  general  Menou  brought  in  a letter,  addressed  to  general 
Hutchinson.  As  this  was  the  first  communication  general 
Menou  had  ever  permitted  by  land,  the  supposition  was 
universal  that  he  wished  to  surrender.  The  letter  proved 
to  be  only  complimentary,  for  the  humanity  shewn  to  his 
wounded  officers  and  soldiers,  a recommendation  of  the 
garrison  of  Marabou  to  a brave  and  loyal  army  ; concluding 
with  a request  for  the  admission  of  his  brother-in-law  into 
Alexandria,  and  some  trunks,  belonging  to  his  wife.  This 
letter,  although  not  containing  the  expected  intelligence, 
was  considered,  with  confidence,  as  a preliminary. 

Various  movements  were  made  by  different  parts  of  the 
British  army  ; that  under  the  command  of  general  Coote 
was  particularly  active  after  the  capture  of  fort  Marabou. 
On  the  morning  of  the  26ih  the  English  batteries  at  the 
eastward  side  on  the  Green  Hill  opened  against  the  right 
of  the  French  position,  particularly  playing  against  the  small 
redoubt  which  covered  the  bridge,  and  the  right  battery  of 
the  line,  which  exposed  seven  embrasures,  whilst,  at  the 
same  time,  the  English  gun-boats  attacked  them  in  the  flank. 
The  French  fire  was  soon  silenced  ; and,  about  mid-day, 
finding  that  they  had  withdrawn  their  guns,  the  English 
batteries  ceased  to  play. 

An  interesting  accident  happened  early  this  morning.  An 
old  man,  working  on  the  parapet  of  a redoubt,  was  struck 
by  a cannon-ball,  which  took  off  both  his  legs  : he  fell  into 
the  arms  of  his  own  son,  a corporal  in  the  same  regiment ! 

In  the  evening  the  first  aid-de-camp  of  general  Menou 
came  with  a letter,  to  demand  an  armistice  for  three  days, 
in  which  time  he  might  draw  up  articles  of  capitulation. 
This  proposition  was  agreed  to,  and  an  arrangement  made, 
that,  notwithstanding  hostilities  should  immediately  cease, 
the  date  of  the  armistice  was  only  to  commence  from  the 
moment  the  French  fired  three  unshotted  guns,  to  be  an- 
swered by  three  from  the  British,  when  the  colours  of  both 
armies  were  to  be  lowered  from  the  flag-staff,  which  cere- 
mony was  to  take  place  at  twelve  o’clock  the  next  day. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


405 


An  officer  was  immediately  dispatched  to  general  Coote, 
who  arrived  in  time  to  prevent  his  making  a lodgment  on 
the  hill  above  Pompey’s  Pillar,  a post  of  considerable  im- 
portance. 

On  the  27th  colonel  Montresor  arrived  from  the  Indian  ar- 
my, with  the  intelligence  that  general  Baird  would  reach  Ro- 
setta in  a day  or  two.  This  army  was  destined  to  arrive 
too  late  throughout  the  whole  of  the  Egyptian  war.  How 
it  happened  that  so  large  a body  of  men,  thus  put  in  motion 
at  a considerable  expense,  should  only  dance  in  the  shadow 
of  the  enterprise,  it  were  worth  while  to  inquire,  for  cer- 
tainly, somewhere,  there  must  have  been  neglect  and  mis- 
management. 

On  the  29th  general  Menou’s  aid-de-camp  came  in  from 
the  enemy  ; but,  instead  of  bringing  articles  of  capitulation, 
he  proposed  a continuation  of  the  armistice  for  thirty-six 
hours.  General  Hutchinson,  much  incensed  at  this  paltry 
prevarication,  wrote  back,  that  he  should  direct  hostilities 
to  re-commence  at  twelve  at  night,  and  orders  to  this  effect 
were  sent  to  general  Coote.  At  nine  o’clock,  however,  the 
aid-de-camp  returned,  with  an  assurance  that  proposals 
should  be  sent  by  two  o’clock  the  next  day,  which  offer 
was  accepted,  and  an  officer  dispatched  to  the  westward 
with  counter-orders.  An  aid-de-camp  and  a chef-de-brig- 
adethe  next  day,  at  one  o’clock,  arrived  at  head-quar- 
ters, bearing  the  articles  of  capitulation,  many  of  which 
were  refused,  yet  the  intention  to  surrender  was  unequivo- 
cally confirmed  : indeed,  no  doubt  could  remain,  after  cap- 
tain Marley,  on  the  evening  of  the  day  before,  had  been 
conducted  into  the  French  lines  with  Madame  Menou’s 
baggage,  u'hich  he  delivered  to  general  Rampon. 

At  eleven  at  night,  the  aid-de-camp  returned  with  the 
articles  agreed  to  as  corrected  by  general  Hutchinson.  The 
next  day  general  Hope  went  into  Alexandria  to  sign  the 
I capitulation  : general  Menou  received  him  with  every  mark 
, i of  attention,  and  invited  him  to  dinner.  The  repast  was 
I only  horse -jlcsh  ! 

On  the  morning  of  September  2d  lord  Keith  came  on 
shore,  to  ratify  the  terms ; and  a capitulation  was  con- 
cluded, which  embraced  every  desirable  object,  without 
unnecessarily  degrading  the  conquered.  General  Menou 
was  certainly  entitled  to  every  consideration  which  a brave, 


406 


THE  LIFE  OF 


but  unfortunate  officer  has  a right  to  expect  from  a generous 
enemy  : and  general  Hutchinson  knew  well  how  to  appre- 
ciate a conduct  which  had  been  so  honourable,  and  to  ac- 
cede every  indulgence  not  incompatible  with  the  interests 
of  his  country  and  credit  of  the  army.  Policy  obtained 
from  him  the  terms  of  Cairo,  and  the  noblest  of  motives 
induced  his  consent  to  these.  In  both,  however,  in  our 
opinion,  general  Hutchinson  displayed  a very  small  share 
of  diplomatic  skill ; of  him,  indeed,  it  might  be  said,  he 
knew  how  to  win  by  the  sword  and  to  lose  by  the  pen. 

On  the  3d  of  September  the  quarter- master- general  went 
into  the  French  lines,  to  be  shewn  the  mines  and  the  differ- 
ent forts  to  be  occupied,  and  at  eleven  o’clock  the  grena- 
diers of  the  army,  in  three  columns,  with  drums  beating, 
colours  flying,  and  a proportion  of  field-pieces,  marched  to 
take  possession  of  their  position. 

The  French  had  been  under  arms  every  night  since  the 
siege  began  ; nor  could  relief  to  the  severity  of  the  service 
be  expected  or  solicited,  under  the  circumstances  which 
pressed  : no  one,  however  indolent,  could  have  wished,  in 
such  a desperate  situation,  to  leave  the  post  of  danger. 

General  Menou’s  force  did  not  justify  any  longer  that 
inactive  resistance  which  he  adopted  : he  had  under  him 
brave  men,  who,  notwithstanding  they  were  abandoned  to 
themselves,  remained  faithful  to  their  duty  ; who  had  seen 
their  comrades  pass  gaily  by  them,  returning  to  that  native 
country  for  which  they  had  all  so  languished,  and  who  yet 
betrayed  no  symptom  of  disaffection  or  intolerance  at  their 
situation.  \Vorn  out  by  fatigue,  exposed  daily  to  an  un- 
serviceable destruction,  they  still  executed  the  commands 
and  relied  on  the  judgment  of  their  leader  ; it  became, 
therefore,  his  sacred  duty  to  preserve  them  when  his  coun- 
try could  no  longer  be  benefited  by  their  perseverance;  and, 
under  these  circumstances,  his  extravagant  boast  and  his 
other  conduct  were  so  much  the  more  empty  and  ridiculous. 

There  is  no  foundation,  however,  for  saying  that  there 
was  only  a few  days  water  in  Alexandria,  as  general  Rey- 
nier  asserts  : for,  with  a very  little  supply,  the  water  in  the 
tanks  lasted  the  English  till  the  month  of  February  follow- 
ing. 

Alexandria  was  defended  by  312  pieces  of  cannon,  chief- 
ly brass,  and  77  were  found  in  the  ships  of  war,  many  of 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


407 


which  had  been  put  on  board  latterly.  In  the  powder 
magazines  were  left  14,102  filled  gun-cartridges,  and 
195,218  lbs.  of  powder  in  barrels. 

Nothing,  as  we  before  observed,  can  be  uninteresting 
relative  to  the  mutual  strength  of  the  two  armies,  when  we 
consider  what  have  been  the  constant  perversions  of  Rey- 
nier  upon  this  subject,  and  with  what  disgraceful  assiduity 
he  has  laboured  to  persuade  Europe,  that  the  French  mag- 
nanimously resisted  torrents  of  armed  troops,  and,  in  fact, 
like  sir  John  Falstaff,  had  whole  countless  armies  in  buck- 
ram jackets,  to  oppose  ! It  is  thus  that  he  would  rob  us  of 
the  fair  laurels  we  have  gained,  and  tear  from  the  hand  of 
courage  and  discipline  its  well-earned  honours,  to  place 
them  on  the  sterile  brow  of  gigantic  disproportion.  Did 
general  Reynier  feel  with  the  true  dignity  of  a soldier,  he 
would  disdain  to  rob  even  his  enemy  of  their  just  honours. 

The  return  of  the  garrison  of  Alexandria,  as  given  in  by 
general  Menou,  exclusive  of  women  and  children,  was, 
Military,  10,528 

Civil,  685 


I 


! 

e 

:t 

ir 

)* 

Is 

(1, 

lis 

IS, 

re 

)'■ 

le 


| 


11,213 

The  city  of  Alexandria  is  very  small;  the  population 
never  exceeded  6,900  souls,  and  since  the  arrival  of  the 
French,  it  is  considerably  diminished.  The  houses  being 
all  white,  the  general  appearance  of  the  city  is  more  lively 
than  of  any  other  in  Egypt. 

On  September  the  5th  sir  Sidney  Smith  and  colonel 
Abercrombie  embarked  on  board  the  Carmine  with  the 
dispatches  for  England  : the  selection  of  these  officers  was 
an  honourable  trait  of  feeling  and  consideration. 

The  successful  termination  of  the  war  in  Egypt  diffused 
general  joy  throughout  England,  and  every  one  was  emu- 
lous to  pay  some  mark  of  respect  and  admiration  to  the 
brave  men  who  had  so  nobly  maintained  the  honour  of  the 
British  name  throughout  such  an  arduous  campaign.  ' The 
thanks  of  both  houses  of  parliament  were  voted  ; a ceno- 
taph to  the  memory  of  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie  ; a peerage 
to  his  widow,  and  a pension  of  2,000/.  per  annum  : general 
Hutchinson  was  created  a peer,  with  a pension  of  2,000/.  a 
year  : admiral  Keith  was  also  created  a British  peer  ; gen- 
eral Coote  invested  with  the  order  of  the  Bath  : and  each 


408 


THE  LIFE  OF 


regiment  which  had  been  employed  upon  the  service  was 
allowed  to  carry  in  their  colours  the  emblem  of  a Sphinx, 
and  to  have  the  word  “Egypt!”  inscribed.  The  grand 
signior,  also,  to  perpetuate  the  services  rendered  to  the  Ot- 
toman empire,  established  an  order  of  knighthood,  which 
he  named,  “ The  Order  of  the  Crescent  in  the  first 
class  were  lord  Hutchinson,  lord  Keith,  admiral  Bickerton, 
major-general  Coote,  major-general  Baird,  and  lord  Elgin. 
In  the  second  the  general  officers,  and  naval  officers  of  equal 
rank. 

The  gallant,  the  lamented,  sir  Ralph  Abercrombie’s  body 
was  earned,  in  the  Flora  frigate,  to  Malta,  and  buried  in  the 
north-east  bastion  of  the  fortifications  of  La  Valette.  A 
black  marble  tomb-stone,  laid  horizontally,  marks  the  place 
of  interment.  A Latin  inscription  is  engraved  upon  it, 
written  by  the  librarian  of  the  order  of  Malta,  and  of  which, 
for  the  sake  of  the  general  reader,  we  shall  give  a transla- 
tion ; conscious,  as  we  are,  that  every  reader  will  peruse 
with  delight  the  last  record  of  a brave  soldier,  and  a vir- 
tuous man. 

TO  THE  MEMORY 

Of  Ralph  Abercrombie,  a native  of  Scotland, 
knight  of  the  order  of  the  Bath  ; 
a man 

highly  distinguished  for  his  probity, 
magnanimity,  consummate  courage, 
and  military  talents 

in  the  several  wars  of  America  and  Holland  : 
whom  George  the  Third,  kingof 
Great  Britain, 

with  the  universal  approbation  of  his  subjects, 
appointed  commander  in  chief 
of  the  British  army  in  the  Mediterranean  sea  : 
in  which  capacity, 
completing  an  expedition  to  Egypt, 

He, 

although  every  where  opposed  by  the  bravest 
of  the  troops  of  France, 
in  one  forcible  attack,  gained  and  kept 
possession  ol  the  whole  Egyptian  coast; 
and,  in  his  progress,  defeated  and  suppressed 
their  endeavours  to  oppose  him : 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


409 


until,  the  British  and  French  armies 
engaging  in  a sanguinary  conflict  near 
Alexandria, 

on  the  21st  day  of  March,  in  the  year  1801, 
whilst  fighting  in  the  foremost  ranks, 
and  in  the  very  bosom  of  victory, 

He  received  a mortal  wound 
in  his  thigh  ; 

of  which,  to  the  keen  regret  of  all  who  knew  him, 
He  expired, 

on  the  28th  day  of  the  same  month,  in  the  68th 
year  of  his  age. 

He  was  a commander 
eminently  conspicuous  for  his  skill 
in  the  art  of  war  ; 
for  his  prudence  in  projecting, 
and  bravery  in  executing  his  measures  ; 
and  for  his  unsullied  honour  in  all  that 
concerned  the  glory  of  his  country  and  king. 

His  sovereign,  and  Great  Britain,  were  alike 
grieved  at  his  loss. 

HENRY  PIGOT, 
appointed,  by  royal  authority, 
commander  in  chief  of  the  garrison 
of  British  troops  stationed 
in  this  island,  has  piously  ordered 
this  to  be  raised  over  the  ashes 
of  that  excellent  and  well-deserving 
oflicer  ; conveyed  hither,  in  public 
funeral,  on  the  29th  day  of 
April,  in  the  same  year. 


CHAPTER  XXV. 

Having  brought  the  Egyptian  expedition  to  a close, 
let  us  now  return  to  Europe,  and  narrate,  with  a faithful 
pen,  the  events  that  took  place  there  during  our  struggles  in 
the  east ; events  which  will  be  found  more  intimately  con- 

52 


410 


THE  LIFE  OF 


nected  with  our  hero,  because  occurring  under  his  immedi- 
ate eve  and  instigated  by  his  direct  influence. 

Having  made  peace  with  Austria  he  was  now  at  liberty 
to  bend  his  undivided  attention  towards  England  ; for 
though  he,  probably,  did  not  himself  entertain  any  solid 
hopes  of  effecting  any  thing  important  against  this  country, 
yet  the  appearance  of  it,  he  knew,  might  assist  him  two 
ways  ; it  would  serve  to  keep  the  army  employed,  and  to 
furnish  matter  for  attention  to  the  Parisians,  who  would 
thus  be  withdrawn  from  too  close  a consideration  of  his 
own  newly  acquired  power  ; and  it  would  also  compel  us 
to  be  continually  on  the  alert,  exhaust  gradually  our  resour- 
ces, and  pave  the  way  for  a general  pacification. 

The  leading  features  of  the  policy  of  Buonaparte  to- 
wards this  country,  at  the  time  we  are  now  treating  of,  ap- 
pear to  have  been,  to  excite  a confederacy  against  us  among 
all  the  maritime  powers,  and  to  exclude  us  from  all  the 
ports  of  Europe  ; then  to  attack  Portugal,  our  only  re- 
maining ally,  and,  if  possible,  to  subdue  her ; and,  finally, 
by  the  continued  threats  of  invasion,  to  wear  out  our  pa- 
tience and  impoverish  our  finances. 

Buonaparte  was  congratulated  by  all  the  constituted  author- 
ities on  the  peace  which  he  had  made  with  Austria.  In  his 
answer,  he  replied,  “ France  will  not  reap  all  the  blessings  of 
peace  until  she  shall  have  a peace  with  England  ; but  a sort 
of  delirium  has  seized  on  that  government,  which  now  holds 
nothing  sacred  : its  conduct  is  unjust,  not  only  towards  the 
French  people,  but  also  towards  all  the  powers  of  the  con- 
tinent ; and,  when  governments  are  not  just,  their  authori- 
ty is  but  short  lived.  All  the  powers  of  the  continent  must 
force  England  to  fall  back  into  the  track  of  moderation,  of 
equity,  and  reason.”  Such  was  the  language  then  held  by 
Buonaparte  towards  this  country,  and  it  is  remarkable  what 
a similarity  has  prevailed  ever  since.  The  liberty  of  the 
seas  has  been  long  the  watch- word,  though  an  unavailing 
one,  and,  we  trust,  it  will  ever  prove  so.  Let  it  never  be 
forgotten,  that  the  navy  of  England  is  the  only  bulwark 
upon  which  she  can  securely  rely  ; that  destroyed,  her  de- 
struction, though  not  rapid,  would  be  certain.  Though 
Buonaparte  be  not  a Scipio,  yet  England  may  prove  a Car- 
thage, if  ever  the  contest  be  brought  to  issue  upon  her  own 
shores,  and  our  navy  destroyed. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


411 


Our  readers  will  recollect  that  Buonaparte,  after  his  as- 
sumption of  the  consulate,  made  overtures  of  peace  to  this 
country,  in  a letter,  addressed  directly  to  the  king,  he  not 
deigning  to  use  the  customary  diplomatic  forms.  These 
overtures  were  rejected,  principally,  as  it  is  understood, 
from  the  influence  of  Mr.  Pitt,  who,  having  declared  that  he 
never  would  make  a peace  with  Buonaparte,  now,  consist- 
ently with  his  declaration,  urged  the  probable  insecurity  of 
the  French  government,  and  the  folly  of  making  peace  with 
a power  that  might  cease  to  exist  ere  the  articles  could  be 
drawn  up. 

Buonaparte,  failing  in  this  attempt  at  pacification  (the  sin- 

Ieerity  of  which  may  be  justly  doubted)  continued,  with  un- 
failing assiduity,  to  represent  to  all  maritime  nations  the 
overbearing  haughtiness  and  insolence  of  this  country,  and 
he  endeavoured  to  revive  the  armed  neutrality  of  1780  ; the 
principle  of  which  was  that  free  and  neutral  bottoms  made 
free  and  neutral  goods.  The  glaring  fallacy  of  this  opin- 
ion needs  no  refutation  ; the  most  obtuse  mind  must  be 
aware,  that  such  a principle  once  admitted,  would  open  a 

I door  to  the  exercise  of  privileges  prejudicial  in  an  alarming 
degree  to  the  interests  of  this  country  ; not,  indeed,  to  the 
interests  of  this  country  alone,  for  even  those  powers  who 
were  advocates  for  its  establishment  against  us,  might  be- 
come, they  knew  not  how  soon,  in  a situation  that  would  ren- 
der it  as  injurious  to  themselves  : this,  however,  they  saw 
not,  in  the  blindness  of  their  rage  : the  attempts  of  the 
weak  against  the  strong,  indeed,  are  often  only  injurious 
machines,  which  return  back  upon  the  inventors. 

It  was  sufficient  for  Buonaparte  that  the  idea  was  plausi- 
ble and  calculated  to  flatter  the  wishes  of  the  different  mar- 
itime powers.  By  his  ministers,  and  other  agents,  at  the 
courts  of  Petersburgh,  Stockholm,  Copenhagen,  and  Berlin, 
he  insinuated  how  encouraging  the  present  posture  of  Eu- 
rope was  for  such  a step,  and  how  great  the  advantages  of 
compelling  the  English  to  make  peace  on  reasonable  terms. 

The  effecting  of  this  was  not  then  so  difficult : Russia, 
the  most  important  of  the  northern  powers,  was  governed 
by  a frantic  madman,  the  emperor  Paul.  He  had  been  irri- 
tated, by  various  accidents,  against  the  courts  both  of  Vi- 
enna and  London,  but  especially  against  the  latter.  Mutu- 
I al  accusations  had  taken  place  between  the  Russian  and  the 


412 


THE  LIFE  OP 


English  generals  after  the  unsuccessful  and  disastrous  ex- 
pedition, in  1799,  to  Holland.  After  the  first  ebullition  of 
the  emperor’s  rage  against  his  own  officers,  his  jealousy  and 
resentment  was  awakened  against  the  English  ; and  this 
was  further  inflamed  by  the  failure  of  his  schemes  in  the 
Mediterranean. 

The  genius  of  the  Russian  government,  amidst  the  ca- 
prices and  singularities  of  individual  characters,  may  be 
said  still  to  preserve  the  impulse  and  determination  that  was 
given  to  it  by  Peter  I.  It  was  his  aim  to  have  a firm  foot- 
ing in  the  Mediterranean  as  well  as  on  the  northern  ocean 
and  the  Baltic  : in  pursuance  of  this  general  aim,  Paul  had 
been  led,  by  a concurrence  of  circumstances,  to  fix  his  eyes 
and  heart  on  Malta.  It  appears  that  he  had  been  allowed 
to  entertain  hopes  of  possessing  it,  though  no  absolute  prom- 
ise was  made  to  him  by  the  other  allies.  A fleet  with  troops 
had  sailed  from  the  Black  sea  in  August  1800,  for  the  ex- 
press purpose  of  taking  possession  of  the  place  when  it 
should  surrender.  No  remonstrances  were  made  when 
Paul  ridiculously  assumed  the  title  of  grand  master  of  Mal- 
ta ; and  when  he  pretended  to  make  captain  Home  Pop- 
ham,  a knight  of  that  order,  his  right  to  do  so  was  recog- 
nized in  the  London  Gazette.  When  the  original  destina- 
tion of  that  fleet  was  frustrated,  by  the  surrender  of  Mal- 
ta, and  its  occupation  by  the  English,  it  remained  long  at 
anchor  in  the  canal  of  Constantinople,  waiting  for  orders 
how  to  act.  The  resentment  of  the  emperor  was,  in  the 
first  instance,  as  is  usual,  wrecked  on  a weak  party,  pre- 
senting itself  as  a ready  object  for  the  gratification  of  his  pas- 
sion. He  demanded  from  the  grand  seignior,  the  ally  of 
England,  a large  sum,  stipulated,  he  alleged,  to  be  paid  by 
the  Turks  for  the  maritime  aid  of  the  Russians.  A sharp 
dispute  arose  on  this  subject : the  Russian  admiral  refused 
to  return  to  the  Crimea  till  the  money  should  be  paid,  and 
even  threatened  hostile  measures  against  Constantinople  : 
the  porte  was  obliged  to  yield  to  the  menaces  of  the  enra- 
ged czar  of  Muscovy.  Nor  is  it  by  any  means  unimpor- 
tant, however  ludicrous  to  mention,  that  Paul  was  highly 
offended  by  the  caricatures  of  his  person  and  character,  pub- 
lished in  the  streets  of  London,  and  which  Buonaparte  took 
the  especial  care  to  have  transmitted  to  Petersburgh,  On 
he  irritable  and  irritated  temper  of  the  emperor,  disgusted 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


413 


with  Austria,  and  much  more  with  England,  Buonaparte 
operated  with  consummate  address  and  complete  success. 

The  consequence  of  all  this  was  an  embassy  from  Rus- 
sia to  France,  on  which  occasion  Buonaparte,  with  admira- 
ble policy,  took  care  to  flatter  the  vanity  of  Paul,  by  paying 
the  most  extravagant  attentions  to  his  representative.  The 
ambassador  was  received  with  the  most  profuse  honours  : 
his  entry  into  Paris  was  announced  by  the  firing  of  guns  ; 
nothing  that  he  asked  could  be  refused  : and  the  good,  mod- 
est, unassuming  count  KalitchefF,  knew  not  whether  he  was 
a man  or  a god.  Buonaparte,  however,  cared  not ; he  was 
a master  in  that  perfection  of  political  skill  which  consists 
in  rendering  the  dominant  foibles  or  virtues  of  your  object 
subservient  to  your  own  designs.  Paul  could  not  be  proof 
against  such  splendid  courtesy  : he  was  won. 

Next  to  Russia,  the  power  of  most  importance  in  the 
formation  of  a confederation  against  England  was  Prussia  : 
without  her  concurrence  the  effects  of  any  confederacy  could 
neither  be  very  important  or  very  lasting,  but  with  it  every 
thing  was  to  be  feared.  Prussia  commands  an  extensive 
maritime  coast,  and  the  navigation  of  all  the  great  rivers 
from  the  Rhine  to  the  Eider,  on  the  north  of  Germany : 
Buonaparte,  therefore,  spared  no  exertions  to  bring  this  pow- 
er into  the  confederacy,  and,  for  this  purpose  he  sent  his 
brother  Louis  to  Berlin.  Nor  was  it  by  secret  intrigues 
only  that  he  endeavoured  to  raise  this  armed  monster  against 
England  : he  avowed  this  intention,  with  the  reasons  on 
which  it  was  formed,  before  the  whole  world,  in  a message 
to  the  legislative  body,  the  tribunate,  and  the  conservative 
senate,  on  the  13th  February,  and  which,  like  his  other 
messages  and  measures,  was  printed  and  published. — 
“ Why,”  says  he,  “ is  it  that  this  treaty  (i.  e.  the  treaty  of 
Luneville)  is  not  a treaty  of  general  pacification  ? this  was 
the  wish  of  France,  this  was  the  constant  object  of  the  ef- 
forts of  its  government.  But  all  its  efforts  have  been  in 
vain.  Europe  knows  all  that  the  British  ministry  have  done 
to  prevent  the  success  of  the  negotiations  at  Luneville.  In 
vain  did  an  agent,  authorized  by  the  government,  declare 
to  them,  on  the  9th  of  October,  1800,  that  France  was 
ready  to  enter  into  a separate  negotiation  with  them  : its 
declaration  was  answered  only  by  a refusal,  under  a pretext 
that  England  could  not  abandon  her  ally.  Since  that  pe- 


414 


THE  LIFE  OF 


riod,  and  after  that  ally  had  consented  to  treat  without  Eng- 
land, this  government  seeks  for  other  means  of  postponing 
peace,  which  >s  so  necessary  to  the  whole  world.  It  violates 
a convention  consecrated  by  humanity,  and  makes  war  on 
fishermen  ! I advances  pretensions  contrary  to  the  dig- 
nity and  the  rights  of  all  nations.  All  the  commerce  of  A- 
sia  and  immense  colonies  are  no  longer  sufficient  to  satisfy 
its  ambition  ; it  is  necessary  that  all  the  seas  should  be  sub- 
jected to  the  exclusive  sovereignty  of  England.  It  arms 
against  Russia,  Denmark,  and  Sweden,  because  Russia, 
Denmark,  and  Sweden,  have  by  treaties  mutually  guaran- 
teed their  sovereignty,  their  independence,  and  their  flags. 
The  princes  of  the  north,  unjustly  attacked,  have  a right  to 
rely  on  the  assistance  of  France:  the  French  government 
will,  with  them,  avenge  an  injury  common  to  all  nations; 
without  at  any  time  forgetting,  that  it  ought  to  contend 
only  for  the  peace  and  happiness  of  the  world.” 

Such  was  the  language  of  Buonaparte  upon  this  occasion, 
and  it  was  echoed  by  his  faithful  constituted  authorities 
with  most  courtly  similarity  : the  liberty  of  the  seas  and  the 
repose  of  Europe  was  the  chief  burden  of  the  song  in  all 
their  harangues.  Nor  was  the  press  silent  in  the  grand  bu- 
siness of  arming  a confederacy  against  us:  many  publica- 
tions were  issued,  whose  object  was,  not  only  to  shew  that 
the  overbearing  power  of  this  country  at  sea  ought  to  be 
resisted,  but  that  it  might  be  resisted  with  success.  Ex- 
amples were  adduced,  to  shew  that  maritime  strength,  un- 
supported by  territorial,  is  nothing ; and  it  was  confidently- 
predicted,  that  the  fate  of  Alexandria,  Tyre,  Rhodes,  Ve- 
nice, Genoa,  Portugal,  Spain,  &c.  would  speedily  be  the 
fate  of  England. 

The  manner  in  which  Buonaparte  signified  his  intention 
of  crushing  our  maritime  supremacy  was  signified  to  Eng- 
land in  a very  courteous  manner.  About  the  middle  of 
January,  1801,  some  valuable  books,  magnificently  bound, 
were  presented  to  the  royal  society  of  London,  from  the 
national  institute  of  France  : a letter  of  compliment  accom- 
panied this  present,  signed — Bonaparte,  president  of  the 
national  institute , and  first  consid  of  France : and  on  the 
letter  was  a finely  executed  vignette,  representing  liberty 
sailing  on  the  open  ocean  in  a shell,  with  the  follovviug  mot- 
to ; 


Liberte  de  mer.“’ 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


415 


The  progress  of  the  northern  confederacy  became  every 
day  more  marked;  Russia,  Sweden,  Denmark,  and  Prus- 
sia, entered  into  it  with  avidity.  Denmark  had  long  been  a 
pacific  nation,  not  having  been  engaged  in  any  war  for  up- 
wards of  eighty  years,  and  it  might,  therefore,  have  been 
presumed  that  she  would  reluctantly  engage  in  one  now ; 
yet  it  is  remarkable  that  she  was  the  first,  the  last,  and  the 
only  power  that  was  engaged  in  actual  hostilities. 

Many  Danish  ships  had  been  brought  into  our  ports, 
though  it  appeared,  afterwards,  that  they  contained  no  con- 
traband commodities  : this  was  not  only  vexatious,  but  at- 
tended with  much  loss.  But  the  first  diffe  rence,  of  any 
consequence,  since  the  armed  neutrality  of  1780,  on  the 
subject  of  the  right  of  visitation  by  sea,  arose  in  the  month 
of  December,  1799,  in  the  vicinity  of  Gibraltar,  between 
some  Engiish  frigates  and  a Danish  frigate,  named  the  Hau- 
senen,  commanded  by  captain  Van  Dockum.  The  Eng- 
lish commander  sent  on  board  the  Dane,  to  demand  from 
the  captain  his  destination.  The  captain  then  answered, 
that  he  was  then  going  to  Gibraltar.  The  Engiish  com- 
mander replied,  that,  if  he  was  going  to  stop  at  Gibraltar, 
he  would  not  visit  his  convoy  ; but  that,  in  case  he  should 
not  cast  anchor  there,  the  visit  certainly  would  take  place. 
Captain  Van  Dockum  then  informed  the  officer  who  had 
come  on  board,  that,  in  such  case,  he  would  make  resist- 
ance. On  this  the  English  captain  made  the  signal  to  ex- 
amine the  convoy  : the  boat  . of  the  frigate  (which  was  the 
Emerald)  prepared  to  execute  this  order.  Some  musketry 
was  fired  down  from  the  Danish  frigate,  and  one  of  the 
English  sailors  wounded  in  consequence  : this  frigate  also 
took  possession  of  a boat  of  the  English  frigate  the  Flora, 
and  did  not  release  it  till  after  the  English  captain  had  given 
captain  Dockum  to  understand,  that,  if  he  did  not  surren- 
der it  immediately,  he  should  commence  hostilities.  The 
Danish  frigate  then  repaired,  with  its  convoy,  to  the  bay  of 
Gibraltar  : there  some  discussions  took  place  between  lord 
Keith,  commander  of  the  British  forces  in  the  Mediterra- 
nean, and  captain  Van  Dockum,  whom  lord  Keith  thought 
proper  to  consider  as  personally  responsible  and  guilty  of 
the  injury  done  to  a subject  of  his  king.  He  thought  it 
impossible,  he  said,  that  the  captain  could  be  authorised  to 
act  in  such  a manner  by  the  instructions  of  his  court.  To 


416 


THE  LIFE  OF 


clear  up  the  business,  the  English  admiral  sent  an  officer  to 
Van  Dockum,  requesting  that  he  would  shew  him  these 
instructions,  and  explain  their  nature.  The  Dane  refused 
to  let  the  admiral  see  his  instructions,  alleging  that  he  was 
forbid  so  to  do  ; but  he  told  the  officer  that  their  import  was, 
not  to  permit  visitation  of  his  convoy,  and  that,  in  firing 
on  the  English  boats,  he  only  fulfilled  his  orders.  The 
captain  himself  afterwards  made  like  answer  ; and,  on  his 
word  of  honour,  in  conversation  with  lord  Keith  and  the 
governor  of  Gibraltar  ; promising,  at  the  same  time,  to  sur- 
render himself  before  a judge,  and  to  give  notice  of  his 
appearance,  on  which  promise  he  was  told  that  he  might 
return  on  board : but,  having  entered  his  boat,  he  sent  a 
letter  to  the  admiral,  in  which  he  refused  to  give  the  notice 
required.  All  this  was  represented  to  the  Danish  ministry 
by  Mr.  Merry,  the  British  envoy  at  Copenhagen,  on  the  ' 
10th  of  April,  1800,  and  demand  made,  in  the  name  of 
his  government,  for  a disavowal,  apology,  and  reparation. 
This  affair,  without  any  other  reparation  than  a disavowal, 
was  satisfactorily  adjusted. 

As  it  evidently  was  not  the  interest  of  Denmark  to  enter 
into  a war  with  Great  Britain,  the  resistance  made  by  cap- 
tain Van  Dockum,  excited  considerable  surprise  and  much 
conjecture  : but  this  surprise  was  still  more  excited  by  an 
engagement,  which  took  place  between  a Danish  frigate,  j 
the  Freya,  on  the  25th  July,  1800,  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Channel,  and  no  less  than  four  English  frigates,  a brig,  and 
a lugger  ! Here,  as  before,  the  right  of  search  was  resisted, 
and  the  consequence  was  a broadside  from  the  English 
frigate,  which  was  returned  by  the  Danish  ; it  was  impossi- 
ble, however,  that  she  could  sustain  the  unequal  conflict, 
and  she  accordingly  struck  her  colours.  The  Freya  had 
five  men  killed  and  five  wounded,  and  thirty  shots  in  the 
hull ; the  English  had  five  men  killed,  and  several  wound- 
ed. The  Danish  frigate,  as  well  as  convoy,  was  taken  to 
the  Downs. 

As  it  was  apprehended,  that,  in  the  present  disposition 
of  the  northern  powers,  this  incident  might  lead  to  a renew-  I 
al  of  the  armed  neutrality,  and  an  extension  of  the  war ; lord 
Whitworth  was  sent,  with  a special  mission,  to  the  court  of 
Denmark,  for  the  prevention  of  extremities,  and  for  the 
reconciliation  of  differences  ; and,  that  the  representation? 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


417 


with  which  he  was  charged  might  have  the  greater  Weight, 
he  was  supported  by  a squadron,  under  the  command  of 
vice-admiral  Dickson  ; consisting  of  nine  sail  of  the  line, 
four  bomb  ships,  and  five  gun-vessels. 

This  was  decisive,  and  the  court  of  Denmark  was  ill 
prepared  to  resist  a mission  so  accompanied  : it  was,  there- 
fore,  agreed,  that  the  Danish  frigate  and  convoy,  carried  in- 
to Deal,  were  to  be  repaired  at  the  expense  of  Great  Brit- 
ain. The  discussion  respecting  the  right,  asserted  by  the 
English,  of  visiting  convoys,  to  be  adjourned  to  a farther 
i negotiation  in  London.  Until  this  point  should  be  decided, 
the  Danish  ships  were  to  sail  under  convoys  only  in  the 
Mediterranean,  for  the  purpose  of  protection  from  the  Bar- 
bary corsairs  ; and  they  were  to  be  liable  to  be  searched,  as 
heretofore. 

Buonaparte,  vexed  and  disappointed  at  the  amicable  ad  - 
justment of  affairs  in  the  north  of  Europe,  and  daily  receiv- 
ing news  of  the  prosperous  issue  of  the  English  arms  in 
Egypt,  felt  himself,  as  it  were,  cut  off  from  all  hopes  and 
possibility  of  annoying  Great  Britain  externally  : yet  the 
same  motives  for  action,  of  some  sort,  still  prevailed  in  his 
mind  ; nor  was  he  influenced  less  by  political  rancour  than 
by  political  subtilty.  England,  he  foresaw,  would  be  a 
constant  impediment  in  his  way  ; it  might  not,  indeed  from 
, its  situation,  it  could  not,  operate  immediately  to  his  pre- 
£ judice,  by  checking  or  subverting  any  act  of  his,  or  any 
c schemes  of  ambition  : but  still  it  would  be  a thorn  to  him, 

1,  a spider  in  his  sight,  which  he  could  not  brush  away  ; a 

! constant  enemy,  whose  motions  would  perpetually  excite  his 
alarms  ; and  a powerful  one,  who  might  annihilate  his  navy, 
and,  ultimately,  shake  his  own  power.  We  are  firmly  of 
id  opinion,  that  Buonaparte,  notwithstanding  his  sanguine 
character,  and  the  gigantic  plans  which  his  mind  has  devi- 
(1  sed,  and  his  prowess  executed,  never  seriously  believed  it 
to  I possible  to  effect  any  thing  upon  the  English  shores:  he 
never  entertained  so  bold  a hope  as  that  of  conquering  them 
oi  i on  land.  Affecting  to  consider  them  merely  as  a coramer- 
i cial  nation,  who  drew  all  its  strength,  its  very  life-blood, 
I from  trade,  it  was  always  his  favourite  project  to  destroy  their 
* commerce,  and  shut  them  up  in  their  island  ; but  that  must 
t now  be  abandoned,  for  the  present,  and  other  schemes  rc~ 


418 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sorted  to  ; among  which  the  most  prominent  was  that  of  in- 
vasion. 

He  made  great  preparations  : a grand  camp  was  formed 
at  Amiens  ; it  was  occupied  by  detachments  from  what  was 
called  The  chosen  army , commanded  by  general  Murat, 
and  was  strengthened,  from  time  to  time,  by  additional 
numbers : a camp  was  also  formed  between  Bruges  and 
Ostend  ; another  between  Gravelines  and  Dunkirk  ; and  a 
fourth  at  Boulogne  : this  last  was  the  principal  point  whence 
the  invading  army  were  to  proceed.  These  four  camps,  by 
the  month  of  July  1801,  were  occupied  by  a great  number 
of  troops,  among  whom  were  many  emigrant  Irishmen. 
The  building  of  ships,  and  other  preparations  for  an  im- 
mense naval  armament,  was  carried  on  with  great  activity 
all  along  the  Dutch  and  Flemish  coasts  as  well  as  those  of 
France.  Rumours  were  industriously  spread,  and  credited, 
that  numerous  armies  were  to  be  transported,  in  French 
and  Spanish  ships,  over  to  England.  Certain  it  is,  that,  af- 
ter the  peace  of  Luneville,  Buonaparte  had  a very  great  dis- 
posable force  : all  was  in  motion  from  the  mouth  of  the 
Scheldt  to  the  mouth  of  the  Garonne.  The  islands  of  Jer- 
sey and  Gurnsey  were  threatened  with  immediate  invasion. 
The  combined  fleets  of  France  and  Spain,  that  lay  in  the 
harbour  of  Brest,  amounted,  as  early  as  January,  1801,  to 
52  sail  of  the  line  ! 

Buonaparte,  in  order  to  combine  his  preparations  at  land 
with  his  preparations  by  sea,  and  to  restore  and  improve  the 
navy,  had  lately  divided  the  whole  extent  of  the  sea-coasts  of 
France  into  six  maritime  prefectures ; namely,  those  of  Brest, 
Toulon,  L’Orient,  Rochfort,  Havre,  and  Antwerp.  Not 
only  ships,  but  gun-boats  and  flat-bottomed  boats,  were 
equipped,  under  the  direction  of  the  prefects,  along  the 
whole  line  of  the  coasts.  Redoubts  were  thrown  up,  and 
furnaces  prepared  for  the  heating  of  balls,  in  places  suppo- 
sed to  be  most  liable  to  attacks  by  the  English.  Tele- 
graphs were  erected,  for  communication  among  the  differ- 
ent prefectures,  with  one  another,  and  with  Paris.  Procla- 
mations were  issued,  from  time  to  time,  by  the  prefects,  cal 
culated  to  animate  the  courage  and  hopes  of  the  French  sea 
men. 

The  British  government  beheld  these  preparations  with 
prudent  anxiety  : they  hardly  feared  the  issue,  yet  they  were 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


419 


too  wise  to  despise  the  attempt.  The  whole  nation,  indi- 
vidually and  collectively  speaking,  was  anxious  to  meet  the 
French,  and  to  give  a practical  illustration  of  the  received 
maxim,  that  “ one  Englishman  can  beat  two  Frenchmen 
for,  notwithstanding  the  splendid  successes  of  the  French 
on  the  continent  during  the  war,  and  the  undoubted  claims 
they  possess  to  military  heroism  and  courage  ; yet  we  are 
firmly  convinced  that  two-thirds  of  the  British  army  cher- 
ished that  opinion  of  their  own  superiority  : it  was  a use- 
ful one,  which  would  produce  solid  advantages  in  the  day  of 
trial. 

England,  at  this  time,  assumed  a warlike  appearance  : 
field  days  and  reviews  were  to  be  seen  in  every  town,  and 
almost  in  every  parish  ; volunteers  daily  underwent  the  se- 
verest discipline  ; the  mechanic  and  the  tradesman  forsook 
his  tools  and  his  shop  and  marched  along,  with  the  musket 
on  his  shoulder  : they  were  ready  to  proceed  to  any  place 
where  the  enemy  might  land,  or  to  take  upon  themselves  gar- 
rison duty,  if  it  should  be  thought  necessary  to  withdraw 
the  regulars.  Towards  the  end  of  July,  when  the  prepara- 
tions of  the  enemy  were  so  forward  as  to  menace  an  actual  at- 
tempt, strong  picquet  guards  were  mounted  all  along  the 
coast,  and  orders  issued  for  all  the  volunteers  of  the  southern 
districts  to  be  alert  and  in  a state  of  preparation  to  march  on 
a moment’s  warning.  Four  complete  parks  of  artillery, 
forming  a hollow  square,  were  so  arranged,  at  W oohvich, 
as  to  be  able  to  set  off  at  a moment’s  warning,  to  any  .part 
of  the  country.  The  horses  were  harnessed  in  the  centre, 
and  the  drivers  and  engineers  slept  on  the  spot.  In  the  rear 
of  the  guns  (which  were,  in  general,  9 and  12  pounders) 
were  the  chevaux-de  frize  and  ammunition  waggons. 

Such  were,  in  part,  the  land  arrangements  which  were 
made  ; various  orders  were  likewise  issued,  as  to  the  march- 
ing of  the  troops,  in  case  of  necessity  ; their  mode  of 
cantonment,  quartering,  &c.  and  the  manner  of  their  being 
provisioned. 

At  sea,  along  the  whole  channel,  from  the  Nore  to  Fal- 
mouth, a system  of  night  signals  was  employed,  to  announce 
any  approach  of  danger  : frigates  and  gun  boats  were  sta- 
tioned at  proper  places  near  the  British  shore.  The  return 
of  the  Baltic  fleet,  while  it  added  to  the  amount  of  our  dis- 
posable naval  force,  inspired,  if  possible,  into  our  seamen 


420 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  marines  still  higher  sentiments  of  courage,  honour,  and 
glory.  Such  was  the  immensity  of  our  navy,  that  our 
fleets,  squadrons,  and  cruisers,  blockaded  the  enemy  in  their 
principal  ports  and  watched  their  flotillas  of  gun- boats, 
(while  they  endeavoured,  with  various  success,  to  skulk 
close  to  the  shore,  1'rom.one  place  to  another,)  and  annoyed 
and  quashed  their  trade  in  every  quarter  of  the  world.  A 
chain  of  English  vessels  of  war  stretched  along  the  whole 
extent  of  the  French  coast  on  the  channel,  generally  about 
two  or  three  miles  from  land. 

So  great,  at  this  time,  was  the  immense  strength  of  the 
navy  of  England,  that  she  had  a fleet  in  the  Indian  ocean  ; 
a fleet  in  the  Red  sea  ; a fleet  at  the  mouth  of  the  Nile  ; two 
fleets  in  or  near  the  Mediterranean  ; a small  fleet  in  the  Bal- 
tic ; a fleet  in  the  West  Indies  ; detached  cruisers  and  con- 
voy-ships in  every  direction  ; and  a channel  fleet:  while  a 
flotilla  of  vessels,  of  different  descriptions,  under  the  com- 
mand of  lord  Nelson  (who  was  invested  with  the  supreme 
command  of  maritime  affairs  from  the  Land’s  End  to  Yar- 
mouth) guarded  the  British  shores,  and  struck  terror  into 
those  of  France  ! 

About  this  time  two  of  our  ships  were  captured  by  the 
French,  who  made  great  boasting  on  the  occasion.  One, 
the  Swiftsure,  commanded  by  captain  Hallowed,  was  taken, 
by  the  whole  French  fleet  ! under  Gantheaume,  in  the  Med- 
iterranean : the  other  was  captured  by  the  French  squadron 
under  admiral  Linois,  on  the  Spanish  coast,  near  Cadiz. 
This  squadron,  consisting  of  two  ships,  carrying  each  eighty 
guns  ; one  carrying  seventy-four  ; and  a frigate,  besides 
cutters,  on  the  4th  July,  lay  at  anchor  oft'  Algesiras  : rear- 
idmiral  sir  James  Saumarez,  informed  of  this,  went  in  quest 
of  them,  with  a superior  fleet.  Having  stood  through  the 
straits,  from  the  Mediterranean,  and  opened  Cabareta  Point, 
he  found  that  the  ships  lay  at  a considerable  distance  from 
the  batteries  on  shore  : encouraged  by  this  circumstance, 
and  by  a leading  wind,  he  resolved  to  attack  them. 

At  eight  o’clock  in  the  morning  of  the  5th  the  English 
squadron,  with  springs  on  their  cables,  advanced  to  the  I 
French  ships,  in  order  to  come  to  the  closest  action  possi- 
ble. Captain  Hood,  in  the  Venerable,  led  the  squadron 
with  his  accustomed  gallantry,  but,  from  the  failing  of  the 
wind,  was  obliged  to  cast  anchor.  Captain  Stirling  an- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


421 


chored  opposite  the  inner  ship  of  the  enemy,  and  brought 
the  Pompey  to  action  in  the  most  spirited  manner.  Cap- 
tain Darby,  of  the  Spencer,  and  captain  Ferris,  of  the  Han- 
nibai,  from  light  winds,  were  prevented,  for  a considerable 
time,  from  coming  into  action.  At  length  the  Hannibal 
getting  a breeze,  captain  Ferris  had  the  most  favourable 
prospect  of  getting  along  side  of  one  of  the  enemy’s  ships  ; 
when  she  unfortunately,  ran  aground.  Sir  James  Sauma- 
rez,  with  his  own  ship,  the  Caesar,  and  the  Audacious, 
made  every  possible  effort  to  run  between  the  Hannibal 
and  the  French  batteries  and  squadron,  to  cover,  and  to  ena- 
ble her  to  extricate  herself  from  the  difficulty  into  which 
she  had  fallen  : but  the  wind  did  not  favour  this  bold  ma- 
noeuvre ; and  being  at  that  critical  time  only  three  cables 
length  from  one  of  the  enemy’s  batteries,  he  was  under  the 
necessity  of  making  sail,  leaving  the  Hannibal,  which,  of 
course,  struck  her  flag. 

The  admiral,  in  his  dispatches,  gave  the  best  account  he 
could  of  this  unfortunate  business.  The  French  and 
Spaniards  exulted  highly  over  our  defeat : it  was  announ- 
ced, by  an  official  note,  to  all  the  theatres  of  Paris,  that 
six  English  ships  of  the  line  had  been  either  taken  or  beaten 
back  into  the  harbour  of  Gibraltar,  by  three  French  ships  ! 
The  same  news  was  circulated  by  the  telegraphs  throughout 
the  whole  of  the  French  empire  : not  a word  of  the  batte- 
ries on  shore  ; and  which,  in  fact,  infinitely  counterbalan- 
ced the  inferiority  of  the  French  fleet.  The  5th  July  was 
called  the  Naval  Marengo  : the  destruction  of  the  modern 
Carthage  was  predicted  in  an  epigram,  greatly  admired  at 
Paris,  because  it  had  lost  its  Hannibal.  From  the  result  of 
the  engagement  at  Algesiras,  the  French  nation,  at  large, 
inferred,  without  the  smallest  doubt,  that  their  navy  would 
soon  be  enabled,  with  proper  attention,  to  combat  the  em- 
pire of  the  seas  : such  and  so  extensive  were  the  hopes  and 
ambition  excited  by  this  victory  in  miniature  ! 

Shortly  after  this,  intelligence  was  received  of  a second 
action  fought  by  the  squadron  under  the  command  of  sir 
James  Saumarez,  in  which  he  obtained  the  victory.  The 
three  French  line  of  battle  ships,  disabled  in  the  action  of 
the  5th  July,  were,  on  the  8th,  reinforced  by  a squadron  of 
five  Spanish  line  of  battle  ships,  under  the  command  of  don 
Juan  de  Moreno  (the  same  Moreno  wffio  commanded  the 


422 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Spanish  gun-boats  in  1782,  in  the  attack  on  Gibraltar ; ) 
there  was  also  a French  seventy-four,  wearing  a broad  pen- 
dant, besides  three  frigates,  and  an  incredible  number  of 
gun-boats  and  other  vessels.  They  got  under  sail  on  the 
morning  of  the  12th,  together  with  the  English  ship  the 
Hannibal,  which  they  had  succeeded  in  moving  off  the 
shoal  on  which  she  had  struck.  Sir  James  Saumarez  al- 
most despaired  of  getting  a sufficient  force  in  readiness  to 
oppose  such  numbers ; but,  through  the  greatest  exertions 
of  the  officers  and  men,  the  Ctesar,  which  was  the  admi- 
ral’s ship,  was  in  readiness  to  warp  out  of  the  mole  of  Gib- 
raltar also  on  the  morning  of  the  12th  : and,  immediately 
after,  the  whole  squadron  got  under  weigh,  except  the 
Pompey,  which  ship  had  not  time  to  get  in  her  masts. 
The  English  admiral  determined,  if  possible,  to  obstruct 
the  passage  of  so  powerful  a force,  as  that  of  the  enemy,  to 
Cadiz.  Late  in  the  evening  he  observed  the  combined 
squadron  to  have  cleared  Cabareta  Point,  and  at  eight  he 
bore  up  to  stand  after  them.  His  majesty’s  ship  the  Su- 
perb opened  her  fire  close  to  the  enemy’s  ships  ; and,  on 
the  Caesar’s  coming  up,  and  preparing  to  engage  a three- 
decker,  that  had  hauled  her  wind,  she  was  perceived  to 
have  taken  fire,  and  the  flames  having  communicated  to  a 
ship  to  the  leeward  of  her,  both  were  soon  in  a blaze.  As 
there  was  no  possibility  of  offering  the  least  assistance  to  the 
enemy  in  so  distressing  a situation,  the  Caesar  passed  on 
close  with  the  ship  engaged  by  the  Superb ; but,  before 
the  Caesar  could  come  up,  that  ship,  the  St.  Antonio,  of 
seventy-four  guns,  and  730  men,  was  completely  silenced, 
and  hauled  down  her  colours.  The  Venerable  and  Spencer 
having,  at  this  instant,  come  up,  the  English  admiral  bore 
after  the  enemy,  who  were  carrying  a press  of  sail  and 
standing  out  of  the  Straits,  but  lost  sight  of  them  during 
the  night.  It  blew  excessively  hard  till  day-light ; and,  in 
the  morning,  the  only  ships  in  company  were  the  Venera- 
ble and  Thames,  ahead  of  the  Caesar,  and  one  of  the  French 
ships,  at  some  distance  from  them,  standing  towards  the 
shoals  of  Conil,  besides  the  Spencer,  astern,  coming  up. 
All  our  ships  immediately  made  sail  with  a fresh  breeze  ; 
but,  as  they  approached,  the  wind  suddenly  failed,  and  the 
Venerable  alone  was  able  to  bring  the  French  ship  to  ac- 
tion, which  captain  Hood  did  in  the  most  gallant  manner. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


423 


and  had  nearly  silenced  her  ; when  his  mainmast,  which 
had  been  before  wounded,  was  unfortunately  shot  away ; 
and  thus  the  enemy’s  ship  was  enabled  to  get  off,  without 
; any  possibility  of  following  her. 

The  following  is  the  account  given  by  captain  Keates  of 
the  Superb,  who,  in  consequence  of  the  admiral’s  direc- 
tions to  make  sail  up  to  and  engage  the  sternmost  of  the 
enemy’s  ships,  found  himself  abreast  of  a Spanish  three 
decked  ship,  on  which  he  opened  his  fire  at  not  more  than 
three  cables  length  ; which  produced  good  effect,  not  only 
in  that  ship  but  in  other  two,  which  lay  nearly  in  a line 
abreast  of  her  ; all  which  ships  soon  began  firing  on  each 
other,  and,  at  times,  on  the  Superb  : the  three  decker  was 
the  Royal  Charles,  carrying  112  guns.  In  about  a quar- 
ter of  an  hour  he  perceived  the  ship  he  was  engaging,  and 
which  had  lost  her  foretopmast,  to  be  on  fire  : on  this,  he 
instantly  ceased  to  molest  her,  and  proceeded  on  to  the  ship 
next  at  hand,  the  St.  Antonio  above  mentioned,  under 
French  colours,  and  manned  nearly  in  equal  proportions 
with  French  and  Spanish  seamen,  and  which,  after  some 
action,  the  chief  being  wounded,  struck  her  colours.  From 
the  very  few  survivors  of  the  ships  that  caught  fire  and 
blew  up,  and  who,  in  an  open  boat,  reached  the  Superb 
at  the  time  she  was  taking  possession  of  the  St.  Antonio, 
captain  Keates  learned,  that,  in  the  confusion  of  the  ac- 
tion, the  St.  Hermenegildo,  carrying  also  112  guns,  mis- 
taking, in  a dark  night,  the  Royal  Charles  for  an  enemy, 
ran  on  board  her,  and  shared  her  melancholy  fate.  The 
other  Spanish  ships  were  the  St.  Ferdinando,  of  94  guns ; 
the  Argonaut,  of  80  ; and  the  Wanton,  of  12  guns. 

The  escape  of  the  French  ship  the  Formidable  from  the 
Venerable,  was,  as  usual,  magnified  by  the  French  into  a 
great  and  wonderful  naval  victory,  and  indicatory  of  the  re- 
viving glory  of  the  French  marine  ! 

Thus  baffled  at  all  points  ; the  northern  negotiation  bro- 
ken, and  the  combined  fleets  defeated  ; Buonaparte  now 
began  to  bestir  himself  in  a manner  less  likely  to  be  fruit- 
less : he  resolved  to  forsake,  for  awhile,  the  faithless  ele- 
ment of  the  seas,  on  which  he  was  forced  to  acknowledge 
we  rode  triumphant,  and  to  attack  us  by  a more  circuitous 
route  ; a route  also  where  he  promised  himself  more  suc- 
cess, Portugal,  our  old  and  faithful  ally,  now  attracted  the 


424 


THE  LIFE  OF 


fury  of  his  ambition  ; and,  whether  the  advantages  of  sub- 
jugating that  state  would  be  great  or  little,  it  would  serve, 
at  least,  as  a rallying  point,  and  a tocsin  to  sound  the  alarm 
of  war. 

Portugal  was  considered  and  spoken  of  by  the  French  as  a 
mere  colony  in  the  hands  of  the  English.  The  Portuguese 
were  disposed  to  continue  in  habits  of  close  intercourse  and 
friendship  with  us,  and  they  were  proud  of  our  protection  : 
if  the  English  government  would  have  supplied  them  with 
an  army  as  well  as  with  a navy,  the  general  voice  of  the 
court  and  nation  would  have  cheerfully  embarked  the  for- 
tune and  fate  of  Portugal  with  that  of  Britain.  Our  min- 
isters appeared  for  some  time  to  have  embraced  the  resolu- 
tion of  defending  Portugal ; and,  so  late  as  October,  1801, 
Spain  offered  itself  as  a mediator  between  France  and  Por- 
tugal : but  to  this  the  British  cabinet  would  not  consent  ; 
they  rather  chose  to  attempt  to  rouse  the  Portuguese  to  war, 
with  the  promise  of  military  succours,  provided  that  a per- 
son recommended  by  Great  Britain  should  be  employed  to 
fill  the  office  of  commander  in  chief  of  the  forces  in  Por- 
tugal, instead  of  the  actual  commander  in  chief,  who,  from 
age,  was  not  capable  of  acting  with  a sufficient  degree  of 
judgment  for  his  country.  The  court  of  Lisbon  did  not 
take  this  advice  : they  agreed  however,  that,  if  this  coun- 
try would  furnish  an  army  of  25,000  men,  the  British  min- 
istry might  then  appoint  a commander  : to  this  our  minis- 
try would  not  accede;  and  the  force  destined  for  Portugal 
was,  therefore,  carried  to  Egypt. 

Spain  was  not  allowed  to  remain  neuter  : it  seemed  to 
be  then,  as  it  is  now,  the  policy  of  Buonaparte  to  suffer  no 
neutral  states,  but  to  emblaze  the  whole  world  in  war. 
Spain  declared  war  against  Portugal  on  the  3d  of  March, 
1801  ; it  was  not,  however,  till  the  26th  of  April  that  a 
proclamation  of  war,  or,  rather,  of  defence,  was  issued  by 
the  Portuguese  government.  The  proclamation  was  spirit- 
ed and  manly.  “ The  nation,”  said  they,  “ which  could 
resist  the  Romans,  conquer  Asia,  make  great  discoveries 
by  sea,  shake  off  a foreign  sceptre,  and  recover  and  main- 
tain her  independence;  should  not  that  nation,  at  present, 
recal  to  mind  the  honourable  annals  of  her  history  ! People 
of  Portugal  ! we  still  preserve  the  courage  and  sentiments 
transmitted  by  our  ancestors.  Justice  is  on  our  side;  and 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  42 B 

the  true  God,  favourable  to  our  cause,  will  punish,  by  our 
arms,  the  injustice  of  our  adversaries.” 

Vigorous  measures  were  now  adopted  by  the  Portuguese 
government ; yet  it  was  easy  to  see,  that  neither  she  nor 
Spain  entered  willingly  into  the  war  : it  was  necessary, 
however,  to  be  prepared  for  the  worst,  and  therefore,  pre- 
parations were  made  for  actual  hostilities.  New  levies  were 
made  in  all  places,  and  among  all  ranks,  the  ecclesiastics 
and  men  above  sixty  alone  excepted  : every  other,  capable 
of  “ shewing  a beard,”  had  arms  put  into  their  hands.  A 
force  of  regulars  and  irregulars  was  raised  and  set  in  motion, 
but  the  numbers  have  not  been  able  to  be  ascertained  with 
, any  exactness.  The  prince  of  Brazil  attended  the  army  in 
person.  To  assist  in  carrying  on  the  war,  government  bor- 
rowed the  plate  of  the  churches,  which  was  deposited,  as  a 
pledge,  in  aid  of  the  public  faith  for  sums  advanced,  in 
the  hands  of  individuals  ; and  an  augmentation  was  made, 

. of  one  third  part,  to  the  daily  pay  of  the  soldiers.  Every 
thing,  in  short,  wore  the  appearance  of  a necessary  defence 
; against  a serious  and  alarming  invasion. 

The  attack,  on  Portugal  was  to  be  made  the  by  French 
and  Spaniards  in  two  different  directions  : the  former  were 
to  march  towards  Oporto  and  Lisbon,  while  the  latter  were 
to  penetrate  into  Alentejo,  the  largest,  the  most  fertile,  and 
the  best  cultivated  province  of  Portugal,  extending  in 
breadth  eighty  milts,  and  in  length  two  hundred. 

The  Spanish  army,  from  thirty  to  forty  thousand,  under 
i the  command  of  the  prince  of  peace,  from  different  points, 
entered  Alentejo  on  the  20th  of  May.  All  was  rapid  pro- 
gress on  one  part  and  precipitate  retreat  on  the  other.  By 
the  6th  of  June  the  Spaniards  had  reduced  Elvas,  Campo- 
major,  Arrouches,  Fior  de-Posa,  Estrencoz,  and,  in  a word, 

, all  the  strong  places  and  all  the  magazines  of  Alentejo.  On 
I this  day  preliminaries  of  peace  were  signed  between  Portu- 
gal and  Spain,  at  Badajos;  the  principal  conditions  of  which 
. were,  that  the  town,  fortress,  and  province  of  Olivenza, 
i were  ceded  to  Spain,  and  the  ports  of  Portugal  shut  against 
the  English.  This  pacification  was  ratified  on  June  16  h, 
but  not  proclaimed  by  Portugal  till  the  20th  of  July,  it 
was  deemed  prudent  not  to  publish  the  treaty  of  Badajos 
till  the  Portuguese  possessions  in  South  America  should  be 
saved  from  invasion,  on  the  part  of  England,  by  a rein- 

54 


426 


THE  LIFE  OF 


forcement  of  French  troops.  In  the  Portuguese  proclama- 
tion not  a word  of  France  was  mentioned. 

The  situation  of  Portugal,  shut  up  between  the  prevail- 
ing power  and  influence  of  the  French  by  land,  and  that  of 
the  English  by  sea,  was  extremely  hard  and  perilous.  Mr. 
Frere,  the  English  envoy  at  Lisbon,  sent  a strong  note  to 
the  Portuguese  minister,  remonstrating  against  the  conclu- 
sion of  peace  till  his  court  should  be  consulted. 

At  this  haughty  conduct  the  Portuguese  cabinet  was 
greatly  hurt ; as  Portugal  had,  in  fact,  to  complain  of  the 
conduct  of  Great  Britain.  Immediately  after  Mr.  Frere 
had  presented  this  note,  he  wrote  another  to  Mr.  Arbuthnot, 
the  English  consul,  desiring  him  to  intimate  to  the  British 
merchants,  to  hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  depart  at  a 
moment’s  notice  : but  the  English  were  invited  to  remain, 
with  assurance  of  protection,  by  the  prince  regent  of  Por- 
tugal. 

By  a convention  entered  into  between  France  and  Spain, 
at  Madrid,  peace  was  not  to  be  concluded  between  these 
parties  on  the  one  hand,  and  Portugal  on  the  other,  unless, 
among  other  conditions,  certain  places  in  Portugal  should 
be  given  up,  to  be  occupied  by  French  troops  until  the 
establishment  of  a general  peace  in  Europe.  When,  there- 
fore, Buonaparte  was  invited  to  accede  to  the  preliminaries 
of  the  peace  at  Badajos,  he  refused  his  concurrence.  He 
represented  that  it  was  contrary  to  the  convention  of  Madrid, 
and  to  the  general  policy  and  interest  of  the  allies  ; and  that 
the  immediate  consequence  of  this  treaty  to  his  Catholic 
majesty,  if  he  should  ratify  it  separately,  would  be  the  loss 
of  Trinidad ; which  must  be  ceded,  as  a condition  of 
peace  with  the  British  nation,  if  the  occupation,  by  French 
troops,  of  some  quarter,  or  some  posts  in  Portugal,  should 
not  enable  the  French  government  to  offer  to  the  cabinet  of 
London  an  option  which  it  might  prefer  even  to  the  posses- 
sion of  the  Spanish  island.  But  the  court  of  Lisbon  hav- 
ing ratified  the  treaty  of  Badajos  separately,  the  French 
government  proceeded  in  its  determination  of  invading  Por- 
tugal. A French  army,  thirty  thousand  strong,  under  gen- 
eral Leclerc,  provided  with  a numerous  train  of  artillery, 
having  traversed  the  Pyrennees,  entered  Portugal,  from 
Salamanca,  on  the  28th  of  June,  invested  the  town  and 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


427 


fortress  of  Almeida,  and  from  that  position  menaced  both 
Oporto  and  Lisbon. 

In  order  to  counteract  the  conquests  of  France,  a squad- 
ron, with  troops,  was  sent  out  by  the  British  government, 
for  taking  into  our  protection  and  possession  the  island  of 
Madeira.  It  arrived  on  the  23d  of  July  at  the  place  of  its 
destination : early  on  the  24th  a negotiation  was  begun,  and, 
before  it  was  dark,  half  the  force  was  landed  and  encamp- 
ed ; on  the  25th  the  remainder  was  landed  ; and  colonel 
Clinton,  who  commanded  the  expedition,  having  made 
proper  representations,  and  satisfied  the  governor  of  the 
friendly  intentions  of  the  English  towards  the  Portuguese, 
was  put  in  possession  of  the  two  forts  which  command  the 
bay  of  Funchal,  the  capital  of  the  island. 

Edicts  were  again  issued  by  the  Portuguse  government 
for  military  conscriptions : large  bounties  were  offered  to 
seamen,  for  manning  six  ships  of  the  line,  to  join  the  Eng- 
lish fleet  at  Cadiz.  The  subsidy  from  England,  of  three 
hundred  thousand  pounds,  gave  new  vigour  to  the  exertions 
of  Portugal : succours  in  men,  likewise,  were  solicited  from 
England,  and  fondly,  though  vainly,  expected.  The  men 
tvere  at  work  in  the  arsenals  of  Lisbon  and  Oporto  day  and 
night : the  greatest  activity  prevailed  in  every  branch  of 
the  war  department.  Portugal  was  seriously  prepared  to  de- 
fend herself. 

The  Portuguese  army,  however,  did  not  amount  to  more 
than  25,003  men,  notwithstanding  all  the  requisitions  and 
bounded  among  these  were  three  regiments  of  loyal  French 
emigrants,  and  some  corps  of  English  cavalry  : its  head- 
quarters were  fixed  in  the  strong  post  of  Abrantes,  on  the 
Tagus,  in  Estremadura.  The  commander  in  chief  was  the 
duke  of  Alfoens. 

The  duke,  in  the  beginning  of  July,  quitted  Abrantes, 
and  left  a strong  corps  there,  under  the  command  of  general 
Forbes  : he  proceeded  with  the  main  army,  to  occupy  such 
positions  as  might  enable  him  to  check  the  farther  irruptions 
of  the  French.  But,  in  the  mean  time,  while  the  weak, 
and  but  ill  provided,  Portuguese  army  were  thus  employed, 
a negotiation  was  set  on  foot  for  peace,  which  was  finally 
concluded  at  Madrid,  on  the  29th  of  September. 


428 


THE  LIFE  OF 


CHAPTER  XXVI. 

In  November,  1801,  Buonaparte  presented  the  following' 
view  of  the  republic  : — 

“ It  is  with  a pleasing  satisfaction  that  the  government 
offers  to  the  nation  the  picture  of  the  state  of  France,  du* 
ring  the  year  that  has  passed  over.  Every  thing  at  home 
and  abroad  has  assumed  a new  appearance,  and  whatever 
way  we  cast  our  eyes,  a long  perspective  of  hope  and  hap- 
piness opens  upon  us. 

“ In  the  west  and  in  the  south,  remnants  of  banditti  in- 
fested the  roads  and  desolated  the  fields  invisible  to  the  arm- 
ed force  which  pursued  them,  or  protected  against  it  by 
the  very  terror  with  which  they  inspired  their  victims.  Even 
in  the  bosoms  of  the  tribunals,  if  they  happened  to  be 
brought  before  them,  their  audacity  froze  with  fear  the  ac- 
cusers, the  witnesses,  the  juries  and  the  judges.  These 
monsters  rushed  unpunished  from  the  hands  of  justice  to 
the  commission  of  new  crimes. 

“ Against  this  pest,  so  destructive  of  all  society,  it  was 
necessary  to  make  use  of  other  arms  than  the  s:low  and 
gradual  forms  with  which  public  justice  pursues  solitary 
criminals,  who  conceal  themselves  in  silence  and  in  dark- 
ness. 

“ Special  tribunals  were  created,  whose  powers,  more  ra- 
pid and  more  sure,  might  overtake  and  strike  them.  The 
great  criminals  have  been  seized.  The  witnesses  hove  ceas- 
ed to  be  mute.  The  judges  have  obeyed  their  consciences, 
and  society  has  been  avenged.  Those  who  have  escaped 
from  justice,  are  since  flying  from  one  hiding  place  to  an- 
other; and  the  republic  every  day  vomits  from  its  bosom 
this  last  scum  of  the  waves  with  which  it  has  been  so  long 
agitated. 

“ Still  innocence  has  had  nothing  to  fear.  The  securi- 
ty of  the  citizens  has  not  been  alarmed  by  the  measures 
destined  for  the  punishment  of  their  oppressors  ; and  the 
unfavourable  presages  with  which  it  was  attempted  to  intim- 
idate liberty,  have  been  realized  only  against  guilt. 

“ From  the  month  of  May  in  the  9th  year,  to  the  23d 
September  in  the  10th  year,  seven  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  judgments  have  been  pronounced  by  the  special  tri- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


429 


butials  ; nineteen  only  have  been  rejected  by  the  tribunal  of 
ap  ->eal,  on  the  ground  of  incompetence.  They  cannot, 
therefore,  be  reproached  with  excess  of  power,  nor  with 
any  violation  of  ordinary  justice. 

“ The  government,  from  the  first  day  of  its  institution 
proclaimed  liberty  of  conscience.  This  solemn  act  calm- 
ed minds  which  had  been  frightened  bv  imprudent  rigours. 
The  cessation  of  religious  dissension  has  been  since  announ- 
ced, and  in  fact,  measures  have  been  concerted  with  the 
sovereign  pontiff  of  the  catholic  church,  to  reunite  in  the  same 
sentiments  those  who  profess  a common  belief.  At  the  same 
time  a magistrate,  charged  with  every  thing  that  concerns 
public  worship,  has  attended  to  the  rights  of  every  sect ; 
he  has  collected,  in  conferences  with  the  Lutheran  and  Cal- 
vinistic  ministers,  the  information  necessary  to  prepare  reg- 
ulations, which  will  secure  to  all  the  liberty  which  belongs 
to  them,  and  the  publicity  which  the  interest  of  social  order 
gives  authority  to  grant  them. 

“ The  support  of  ail  modes  of  worship  will  be  provided 
for  by  equal  means ; nothing  will  be  left  to  the  arbitrary 
disposal  of  their  ministers,  and  the  public  treasure  will  not 
feel  any  increase  in  the  burden  of  the  charge. 

“ If  some  citizens  have  been  alarmed  by  empty  rumours, 
let  them  quiet  themselves  ; the  government  has  done  every 
thing  to  reconcile  the  minds  of  the  citizens  ; but  it  has 
done  nothing  that  could  wound  their  principles,  or  the 
independence  of  their  opinions. 

“ The  continental  peace  set  at  rest  whatever  inquietude, 
whatever  vain  fears  still  remained  : already  blessed  with  the 
happiness  of  which  they  had  so  long  been  in  expectation, 
the  citizens  reposed  on  the  bosom  of  the  constitution,  and 
attached  their  whole  destiny  to  it. 

“ Enlightened  and  faithful  ministers  have  seconded  well 
this  disposition  of  the  public  mind  ; every  exertion  of  au- 
thority exercised  by  them  has  met  nothing  but  zeal,  love, 
and  gratitude. 

“ Hence  the  government  has  acquired  that  security  which 
makes  it  its  strength  ; it  has  no  more  doubt  of  the  opinion 
of  the  public  than  its  own  intentions,  and  has  dared  to  ap- 
peal to  it  without  dreading  its  reply.  A prince,  issuing 
from  the  blood  which  reigned  over  France,  has  traversed 
our  departments,  has  sojourned  in  the  capital,  has  received 


430 


THE  LIFE  OF 


from  the  government  all  the  honours  due  to  his  crown,  and 
from  the  citizens  all  the  respect  that  one  people  owes  to  an- 
other in  the  person  who  is  called  to  exercise  its  govern- 
ment, without  a single  suspicion  to  alter  the  calm  of  admin- 
istration, or  a single  rumour  to  disturb  the  tranquillity  of 
the  public  mind.  The  countenance  of  a free,  and  the  af- 
fection of  a hospitable  people,  have  been  seen  throughout  : 
foreigners,  and  the  enemies  of  the  country,  have  perceived 
that  the  republic  was  in  the  hearts  of  the  French,  and  that 
it  had  already  acquired  there  all  the  maturity  of  ages. 

“ The  return  of  our  warriors  into  the  French  territory 
has  been  a sucession  of  fetes  and  of  triumphs.  These  con- 
querors, so  terrible  in  battle,  have  been  as  friends  and  broth- 
ers among  us  ; blessed  in  the  public  happiness,  enjoying, 
without  haughtiness  the  gratitude  that  they  deserve,  and, 
by  the  most  severe  discipline,  proving  themselves  worthy  of 
the  victories  which  they  had  obtained. 

“ In  the  war  that  remained  yet  to  be  carried  on,  events 
have  been  chequered  with  success  and  reverses.  Reduced 
to  the  necessity  of  struggling  against  the  marine  of  Eng- 
land, with  an  inferior  force,  our  navy  has  shown  itself  with 
courage  in  the  Mediterranean,  when  that  sea  was  covered 
with  the  fxeets  of  the  enemy.  On  the  ocean  it  has  recalled 
some  remembrance  of  its  ancient  splendour  : by  a glori- 
ous resistance  it  has  astonished  England,  collected  on  her 
coast  to  be  witness  of  her  own  defeat  ; and  if  peace  had 
not  been  restored,  there  was  reason  to  hope  that  it  would 
avenge  its  past  misfortunes,  as  well  as  the  faults  that  had 
produced  them. 

“ In  Egypt,  the  soldiers  of  the  army  of  the  east  have 
yielded  ; but  they  have  yielded  rather  to  circumstances, 
than  to  the  force  of  Turkey  and  of  England,  and  certainly 
they  would  have  conquered,  if  they  had  fought  united. 
At  length  they  return  to  their  country,  and  they  return  with 
the  glory  which  is  due  to  four  years  of  courage  and  of  la- 
bour. They  leave  in  Egypt  an  immortal  memory,  which 
will,  perhaps,  one  day  revive  there  the  arts  and  institutions 
of  society.  History  at  least  will  not  pass  over  in  silence  all 
that  the  French  have  done  to  introduce  into  that  country 
the  civilization  and  improvements  of  Europe.  It  will  re- 
late by  what  efforts  they  conquered  it,  with  what  wisdom  and 
what  discipline  they  so  long  preserved  it,  and,  perhaps,  it 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE, 


431 

■will  deplore  their  loss  of  it  as  a new  calamity  to  man- 
kind. 

“ Twenty-eight  thousand  Frenchmen  entered  Egypt  for 
the  purpose  of  conquering  it ; more  have  been  sent  there 
at  different  periods  since,  but  others  have  returned  to  nearly 
the  same  number.  Twenty- three  thousand  re  enter  France, 
after  the  evacuation,  without  including  the  foreigners  who 
have  followed  their  fortunes.  So  that  four  campaigns,  a 
number  of  battles,  and  the  effects  of  diseases,  have  not  al- 
together carried  off  one  fifth  of  the  army  of  the  east. 

“ After  the  continental  war,  every  reduction  in  the  army 
that  circumstances  would  permit,  has  been  carried  into  ef- 
fect by  the  government. 

“ Unconditional  discharges  are  granted  ; they  are  granted 
without  preference,  without  favour,  and  according  to  an  or- 
der irrevocably  fixed.  Those  who  have  first  taken  arms  in 
obedience  to  the  laws  of  the  requisition,  obtained  them  first. 

“ In  order  to  fill  up  the  vacancy  which  those  discharges 
will  leave  in  the  army,  it  will  be  necessary  to  call  upon  the 
conscripts  of  the  ninth  and  tenth  years  ; and,  in  the  course 
of  the  present  session,  a project  of  a law  will  be  proposed 
to  the  legislative  body,  to  place  them  at  the  disposal  of  the 
government : but  the  government  will  only  call  upon  the 
number  strictly  necessary  for  maintaining  the  complete  peace 
establishment  of  the  army. 

“ We  will  enjoy  the  peace,  but  the  war  will  leave  us  a 
burden,  which  will,  for  a long  time,  weigh  heavy  on  our  fi- 
nances, to  pay  off  expenses,  which  could  neither  be  fore- 
seen nor  calculated,  to  recompense  the  services  of  our  de- 
fenders, and  to  reanimate  the  works  of  our  arsenals  and  our 
ports,  to  restore  the  French  marine,  to  create  anew  all  that 
the  war  has  destroyed,  all  that  time  has  consumed  ; in  fine, 
to  carry  all  our  establishments  to  the  point  which  the  great- 
ness and  the  security  of  the  republic  require  ; all  this  can 
be  done  without  an  increase  of  revenue.  The  revenues  will 
increase  of  themselves  with  the  peace.  The  government 
will  manage  them  with  the  most  strict  economy  : but,  if  the 
natural  increase  of  the  revenues  ; if  the  most  strict  econo- 
my should  not  be  sufficient,  the  nation  will  judge  the  wants, 
and  the  government  will  propose  the  resources  which  cir- 
cumstances shall  render  necessary. 

“ During  the  whole  course  of  the  ninth  year,  scarcely 


432 


THE  LIFE  OP 


were  a few  imperfect  communicatioi  s maintained  between 
the  mother  country  and  the  colonies. 

“ Guadaloupe  has  preserved  some  remnant  of  culture 
and  prosperity  ; but  the  sovereignty  of  the  republic  has  re- 
ceived more  than  one  outrage.  In  the  eighth  year,  a single 
agent  commanded  there  ; he  was  banished  by  a faction. 
Three  agents  succeeded  him,  two  of  them  banished  the  third, 
and  replaced  him  with  a man  of  their  own  choice  ; another 
dies,  and  the  two  that  remain  invest  themselves  solely  with 
the  power  that  should  be  exercised  by  three.  Under  this 
mutilated  and  illegal  agency,  anarchy  and  despotism  reign- 
ed by  turns.  The  colonists  and  the  allies,  accuse  and 
charge  it  with  error  and  crimes.  The  government  tried  to 
organize  a new  administration.  A captain- general,  a pre- 
fect, a commissary  of  justice,  subordinate  among  themselves, 
but  succeeding  each  other  as  occasion  may  require,  present 
a sigular  power,  possessing  a sort  of  check,  but  no  rivalship 
that  could  impede  its  action  or  paralyze  its  strength.  This 
administration  exists,  and  it  will  soon  be  known  if  it  justi- 
fies the  hopes  that  have  been  conceived  of  it. 

“ From  the  moment  of  his  arrival,  the  captain-general 
had  to  combat  the  spirit  of  faction.  He  thought  it  his  duty 
to  send  to  France  thirteen  individuals,  contrivers  of  dis- 
turbance and  promoters  of  banishments. 

“ The  government  conceived,  that  such  men  would  be 
dangerous  in  France,  and  ordered  that  they  should  be  sent 
to  any  of  the  colonies  that  they  may  choose,  Gaudaloupe 
excepted. 

“ At  St.  Domingo,  some  irregular  acts  have  given  alarm 
for  its  allegiance.  The  government  has  not  chosen  to  see, 
under  equivocal  appearances,  any  thing  but  that  ignorance 
which  confounds  names  and  things,  and  usurps,  when  it 
thinks  it  is  only  obeying  ; but  an  army  and  a fleet,  which 
are  preparing  to  set  out  from  the  ports  of  Europe,  will  soon 
have  dissipated  all  these  clouds,  and  St.  Domingo  will  re- 
turn entirely  under  the  laws  of  the  republic. 

“ At  St.  Domingo  and  at  Guadaloupe,  there  are  no  longer 
any  slaves  ; all  are  free,  and  shall  remain  free.  Prudence 
and  time  will  restore  order  in  them,  and  re-establish  cultiva- 
tion and  industry. 

“ At  Martinique  different  principles  will  prevail : Marti* 
nique  has  kept  up  slavery,  and  slavery  shall  still  be  kept 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  433 

tap  there.  Humanity  has,  already,  suffered  too  much  to  at- 
tempt a new  revolution  there. 

“ Guiane  has  prospered  under  an  active  and  vigorous 
governor  ; it  will  prosper  still  more  under  the  empire  of 
peace,  and  by  the  addition  of  a new  territory,  which  calls 
for  cultivation,  and  promises  wealth. 

“ The  isles  of  France  and  Reunion  have  remained  faith- 
ful to  the  mother  country,  in  the  midst  of  factions,  and  un- 
der an  adminstration  feeble  and  unsettled,  such  as  chance 
made  it,  and  which  has  received  from  the  government  nei- 
ther her  impulse  nor  her  assistance.  These  colonies,  so  im- 
portant, are  confirmed  ; they  no  longer  fear  that  the  moth- 
er country,  by  giving  liberty  to  the  blacks,  will  establish  the 
slavery  of  the  whites. 

“ In  our  foreign  relations,  the  government  will  not  fear 
to  develope  their  principles  and  their  maxims.  Fidelity  to 
our  allies,  respect  for  their  independence,  frankness  and  loy- 
alty towards  our  enemies ; such  has  been  the  policy  of  gov- 
ernment. 

“ Batavia  reproached  her  political  organization  with  not 
having  been  conceived  for  her. 

“ But,  for  some  years,  that  organization  governed  Bata- 
via. The  principle  of  the  government  is,  that  nothing  is 
more  fatal  to  the  happiness  of  a people  than  the  instability 
of  their  institutions  ; and,  when  the  Batavian  directory  en- 
deavoured to  ascertain  their  opinion  respecting  alterations, 
they  constantly  reminded  them  of  this  principle. 

“ But,  at  length,  the  Batavian  people  wished  to  alter  their 
organization,  and  they  have  adopted  a new  constitution. 
Government  have  acknowledged  that  constitution  ; and  it 
was  their  duty  to  acknowledge  it,  because  it  was  the  will  of 
an  independent  people. 

“ Twenty-five  thousand  men  were  to  remain  in  Batavia, 
according  to  the  terms  of  the  treaty  of  the  Hague,  until 
the  general  peace.  The  Batavians  desired  this  force  to  be 
reduced  ; and,  in  virtue  of  a recent  convention,  they  have 
been  reduced  to  10,000  men. 

“ Helvetia  has  afforded,  during  the  year  9,  the  spectacle  of 
a people  torn  by  parties,  each  of  those  parties  invoking  the 
power,  and,  sometimes  the  arms  of  France. 

“ Our  troops  have  received  orders  to  return  to  our  terri- 
tories : 4,000  men  alone  still  remain  in  Helvetia,  by  the 

55 


434 


THE  LIFE  OF 


wish  of  all  the  local  authorities,  who  have  claimed  their  re- 
maining  among  them. 

“ Often  has  Helvetia  submitted  to  the  first  consul’s  plans 
for  organization  ; often  has  she  asked  his  advice  ; he  has 
always  recalled  her  to  the  recollection  of  her  independence  : 
“ Remember  only,”  he  has  sometimes  said,  “ the  courage 
and  virtues  of  your  fathers  ; have  an  organization  simple  as 
the  ir  manners.  Think  of  those  different  religions,  and  those 
diffi  rent  languages,  which  have  their  limits  marked  out  ; 
think  of  those  vallies,  of  those  mountains,  that  separate 
you,  of  so  many  recollections  attached  to  their  natural  boun- 
daries ; and  let  there  remain  of  all  that  an  impression  in  your 
organization.  Above  all,  as  an  example  to  the  people  of 
Europe,  preserve  liberty  and  equality  to  that  nation,  which 
first  taught  them  to  be  free  and  independent.” 

“ These  were  but  counsels,  and  they  were  coolly  heard. 
Helvetia  remains  without  a pilot  in  the  midst  of  storms. 
The  minister  of  the  republic  has  been  nothing  more  than  a 
conciliator  amidst  the  divided  parties:  and  the  general  of 
our  troops  refused  to  sanction  the  support  of  his  force. 

“ The  Cisalpine  and  Liguria,  have  at  length  decreed  their 
organization.  Both  fear,  in  the  moMements  of  the  first  ap- 
pointments the  revival  of  rivalship  and  hatred.  They  have 
appeared  to  desire,  that  the  first  consul  should  take  these 
appointments  upon  himself. 

“ He  will  ende  avour  to  reconcile  this  wish  of  two  repub- 
lics so  dear  to  France,  with  the  more  sacred  functions  which 
his  office  imposes  upon  him. 

u Lucca  has  expiated  in  the  agonies  of  a provisionary 
regime,  the  errors  that  deserved  the  indignation  of  the 
French  people.  She  is  now  employed  in  giving  herself  a 
definitive  organization. 

“ The  king  of  Tuscany,  tranquil  upon  his  throne,  has 
been  acknowledged  by  great  powers,  and  will  soon  be  by 
all. 

“ Four  thousand  French  are  guarding  Leghorn  for  him, 
and  will  evacuate  it  when  he  shall  have  organized  a national 
army. 

“ Piedmont  forms  our  27th  military  division,  and  under 
a miider  regime,  forgets  the  miseries  of  along  anarchy. 

“ The  hoiy  father,  sovereign  of  Rome,  possesses  his  states 
in  their  integrity.  Pesaro,  Fano,  Castel  St.  Leone,  which 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


435 


had  been  occupied  by  Cisalpine  troops,  have  been  restored 
to  him. 

Fifteen  hundred  French  troops  are  still  in  the  citadel  of 
Ancona,  and  in  order  to  ensure  the  communication  with  the 
army  of  the  south. 

“ After  the  peace  of  Luneville,  France  might  have  fallen 
with  her  whole  weight  upon  the  kingdom  of  Naples  ; h ve 
punished  the  sovereign  for  having  first  broken  the  treaties, 
and  have  made  him  repent  the  affront  the  French  had  re- 
ceived in  the  very  port  of  Naples  ; but  the  government 
thought  themselves  revenged  as  soon  as  they  had  the  pow- 
er of  being  revenged  ; they  felt  nothing  more  than  the  de- 
sire and  the  necessity  of  peace  ; to  give  it,  they  demanded 
only  the  port  of  Otranto,  necessary  to  their  designs  in  the 
east,  as  Malta  had  been  occupied  by  the  British. 

“ Paul  the  First  loved  France  ; he  wished  for  the  peace 
of  Europe  ; he  wished,  above  all,  for  the  freedom  of  the 
seas.  His  great  soul  was  moved  by  the  pacific  sentiments 

I*  which  the  first  consul  had  manifested  ; it  was  afterwards  mo- 

ved by  our  successes  and  our  victories  ; and  hence  the  first 
ties  that  attached  him  to  the  republic. 

“ Eight  thousand  Russians  had  been  made  prisoners  in 
fighting  with  the  allies  ; but  the  administration  that  then  di- 
rected England,  had  refused  to  exchange  them  for  French 
prisoners.  The  government  was  indignant  at  this  refusal ; 
they  resolved  to  restore  those  brave  warriors,  abandoned  by 
their  allies,  to  their  country  ; they  restored  them  in  a man- 
ner worthy  the  republic,  of  themselves,  and  of  their  sove- 
reign. Hence  closer  ties,  and  more  intimate  approxima- 
tion. 

“ On  a sudden,  Russia,  Denmark,  Sweden,  and  Prussia 
united  ; a coalition  was  formed  to  guarantee  the  freedom  of 
the  seas  : Hanover  was  occupied  by  the  Prussian  troops  ; 
great  and  vast  operations  were  preparing,  but  Paul  died  sud- 
denly. 

“ Bavaria  hastened  to  revive  the  ties  that  united  her  to 
France.  That  ally  so  important  to  us,  has  sustained  great  loss- 
es on  the  left  bank  of  the  Rhine  ; the  interest  and  the  de- 
sire of  France,  are,  that  Bavaria  shall  obtain  a just  and  full 
indemnity. 

“ Great  discussions  have  taken  place  at  Ratisbon,  upon 
the  execution  of  the  treaty  of  Luneville  : but  those  discus- 


i36 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sions  do  not  immediately  concern  France.  The  peace  of 
Luneville,  concluded  with  the  empire,  and  ratified  by  the 
diet,  has  irrevocably  fixed  on  that  side  all  the  interests  of  the 
republic.  If  the  republic  still  take  part  in  the  discussions 
of  Ratisbon,  it  is  only  as  a guarantee  of  the  stipulations 
contained  in  the  seventh  article  of  the  treaty  of  Luneville, 
purpose  of  maintaining  a just  equilibrium  in 

has  been  signed  with  Russia  ; and  nothing  will 
hereafter  disturb  the  relation  of  two  great  people,  who,  with 
so  many  reasons  for  loving,  have  none  for  fearing  each  oth- 
er ; and  whom  nature  has  placed  at  the  two  extremities  of 
Europe,  to  be  the  counterpoise  of  the  north  and  the  south. 

“ The  Porte  restored  to  her  real  interests,  and  her  incli- 
nations for  France,  has  again  found  her  most  faithful  and 
ancient  ally. 

“ With  the  United  States  of  America  all  difficulties 
have  been  removed. 

“ Finally,  the  preliminaries  of  peace  with  England  have 
been  ratified. 

“ Peace  with  England,  must  have  been  the  produce  of 
long  negotiations,  maintained  by  a system  of  war,  which, 
though  slow  in  its  preparation,  was  infallible  in  its  result. 

“ Already  the  greater  part  of  her  allies  had  abandoned 
her.  Hanover,  the  sole  possession  of  her  sovereign  upon 
the  continent,  remained  in  the  power  of  Prussia  ; the  Porte, 
menaced  by  our  important  positions  on  the  Adriatic,  had  en- 
tered upon  a private  negotiation. 

“ Portugal  remained  to  her  ; having  been  so  long  under 
the  influence  of  the  exclusive  commerce  of  the  English ; 
Portugal,  was,  in  fact  no  more  than  a province  of  Great 
Britain.  It  was  there  that  Spain  was  to  find  a compensation 
for  the  cession  of  Trinidada.  Her  army  advances  ; a di- 
vision of  the  troops  of  the  republic  encamp  upon  the  fron- 
tier of  Portugal,  to  support  her  operations  ; but,  after  the 
first  hostilities,  and  some  light  skirmishes,  the  Spanish  min- 
ister ratifies,  separately,  the  treaty  of  Badajos.  From  that 
time,  the  loss  of  Trinidada  to  Spain  was  to  be  predicted  ; 
from  that  time,  in  fact,  England  considered  it  as  a possess- 
ion acquired  to  her,  and  removed  out  of  the  negotiation  ev- 
ery thing  that  could  suppose  the  restitution  of  it  possible. 

a Before  the  ratification  of  the  particular  treaty  of  France 

A <91 


and  for  the 
Germany. 
“ Peace 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


437 


with  Portugal,  the  government  made  known  to  the  cabinet 
of  Madrid,  that  determination  of  England. 

“ England  refused,  with  the  same  inflexibility,  the  resto- 
ration of  Ceylon.  But  the  Batavian  republic  will  find,  in 
the  numerous  possessions  that  are  restored  to  her,  the  re- 
establishment of  her  commerce  and  her  power. 

“ France  has  supported  the  interests  of  her  allies  with  as 
much  strength  as  her  own  : she  has  done  it  to  the  extent  of 
sacrificing  greater  advantages  than  she  could  have  obtained 
for  herself ; but  she  was  forced  to  stop  at  the  point  in  which 
all  negotiation  became  impossible.  Her  exhausted  allies 
afforded  her  no  more  resources  for  the  continuance  of  war, 
and  the  objects,  the  restitution  of  which  was  refused  them 
by  En  gland,  did  not  balance  to  them  the  chances  of  a new 
campaign,  and  all  the  calamities  with  which  it  might  over- 
whelm them. 

“ Thus,  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  the  republic  has  only 
friends  or  allies,  and  her  commerce  and  her  industry  are 
returning  to  their  accustomed  channels. 

“ In  the  whole  course  of  the  negotiations  the  present  ad- 
ministration of  England  have  shown  a frank  desire  to  put 
an  end  to  the  miseries  of  war  : the  English  people  have  em- 
braced peace  with  enthusiasm ; the  hatred  of  rivalship  is 
extinguished  ; the  emulation  of  great  actions  and  useful 
enterprises  will  only  remain. 

“ The  government  have  made  it  their  ambition  to  replace 
France  in  her  natural  relations  with  all  nations  ; they  will 
make  it  their  glory  to  maintain  their  work,  and  to  perpetu- 
i ate  a peace,  which  shall  constitute  their  happiness  as  the 
happiness  of  humanity. 

(Signed)  “Bonaparte,  first  consul. 

“ H.  B.  Maret,  secretary  of  state.” 

From  this  view  of  the  conduct  of  Buonaparte  it  might 
seem,  that  he  was  born  not  only  for  the  good  of  France  but 
of  mankind.  He  was  careful  to  encourage  virtue,  science, 
and  all  good  arts  : in  his  own  deportment  he  was  exem- 
plary; and  for  what  concerned  France  in  relation  to  foreign 
countries,  he  professed  an  emulation  of  “ great  actions  and 
useful,  enterprises,  and  was  determined  to  perpetuate  a 
peace  which  should  constitute  the  happiness  of  the  French 
as  well  as  that  of  humanity.”  This,  indeed,  would  have 
been  true  glory : and  there  were  not  a few  who  entertained 


438 


THE  LIFE  OF 


sanguine  hopes  that  Buonaparte  would  have  exhibited  as 
illustrious  an  example  of  moderation  and  justice,  as  he  h id 
done  of  skill,  valour,  and  success  in  war.  How  justly 
these  expectations  were  formed  will  be  seen  in  the  sequel. 

During  the  interval  of  peace,  that  now  succeeded,  let  us 
attend  our  countrymen  to  Paris,  and  view,  for  a moment, 
Buonaparte,  and  his  attentions  to  the  city  in  which  he  pre- 
sides. Anecdotes  of  a man,  who  has  changed  the  destiny 
of  the  world,  must  be  interesting;  and  it  will  form  a con- 
trast to  the  turbulent  scenes  of  bloodshed  and  war,  in  which 
we  have  hitherto  viewed  him. 

That  the  military  government,  as  it  is  now  established  in 
France,  was  projected  and  intended  by  Buonaparte,  in  the 
earliest  part  of  his  career,  may  be  presumed,  from  the  fol- 
lowing anecdote. 

When  Buonaparte  had  expelled  the  directory,  who  re- 
sided in  the  palace  of  the  Luxembourg,  he  was  asked  where 
he  would  take  up  his  residence  : after  a moment’s  pause, 
he  replied,  “ At  the  palace  of  the  Tkuilleries  ; it  is  a good 
military  post  /” 

A parade  was  held*  in  each  decade  ; and,  as  this  was  a 
shew  of  which  he  made  a part,  the  people  flocked  to  see 
it.  In  private  his  name  is  seldom  mentioned  ; there  seems 
little  inclination  to  praise  him  or  to  blame  : but  that  he  has 
the  suspicions  of  a man  who  was  considered,  as  an  usurper, 
or  who  considers  himself  as  such,  is  evident. 

Fouche  was  the  protector  of  the  republicans,  and,  while 
defending  their  cause,  the  chief  consul,  one  day,  answered 
him,  with  some  asperity,  “ The  republicans  do  not  love 
me!”  “True!”  replied  Fouche  : “they  say  you  are  the 
high-priest  of  superstition;  however  they  remain  quiet.  But 
how  do  the  emigrants,  the  royalists,  and  the  priests,  whom 
you  protect,  act?”  Fouche  then  (taking  various  papers 
out  of  his  pocket,  which  contained  proofs  of  the  evil  inten- 
tions of  the  parties  he  had  named)  added  : “ Look  here ! 
and  here  ! and  here ! These  papers  will  afford  you  sufficient 
information.” 

Immediately,  at  least  soon  after  this  conversation,  Fouche 
addressed  a paper  to  the  prefect  of  Brussels,  and,  I believe, 
to  other  prefects ; which  appeared  in  the  journals,  and  might 

*_  We  speak  of  the  period  1801-2,  during  the  time  that  our  countrymen  visited 
Paris.  Many  of  the  foilowiug  anecdotes  are  derived  from  Holeroft’s  travels. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


439 


be  called*  a philippic  against  the  priests  : it  accused  them  of 
turbulence,  intolerance,  and  practices  unworthy  of  the  mo- 
rality of  the  gospel ; and  required,  that  such  conduct  should 
be  reproved,  and,  in  future,  prevented.  This  paper  was 
no  less  offensive  to  one  party  than  flattering  to  the  hopes  of 
the  other.  The  concordat  was  then  first  in  contemplation, 
and  the  republicans  would  not  suffer  themselves  to  believe 
that  the  country  was  again  to  be  taxed  for  the  purposes  of  a 
state  religion  : Buonaparte  was  of  a different  oj  inion  ; and 
it  is  asserted,  that  Fouche  was  reprimanded  with  marks  of 
considerable  dissatisfaction,  and  silence  was  imposed  upon 
him.  The  viceroy  must  not  govern  the  king. 

The  Italians  will  never  pardon  France  for  having  deprived 
their  country  of  its  noblest  works  of  art : this  is  the  only 
sacrilege  of  which,  in  general,  they  complain. 

The  great  Canova,  a man  who,  as  a statuary,  is  perhaps 
but  little  inferior  to  the  ancients,  was  sent  for  by  Buonaparte, 
to  take  his  bust.  The  artist  was  of  no  party  in  politics 
devoting  his  life  to  the  studies  in  which  he  delighted,  and  on 
, which  his  thoughts  were  intense,  he  paid  little  attention  to  the 
fate  of  empires  : to  rob  Rome,  however,  of  the  statutes, 
which  were  so  lately  her  boast,  and  afforded  the  models  on 
which  he  formed  his  taste,  was  a crime  he  could  never  for- 
give : he  openly  acknowledged  his  dislike  to  the  chief  con- 
sul, rejected  all  offers  made  him  to  reside  at  Paris  ; and, 
while  modelling  Buonaparte,  frankly  told  him  he  was  sur- 
prised to  find  himself  in  that  place,  and  so  employed! 

This  is  in  favour  of  the  consul ; it  appears  that  there  are 
talents  the  dignity  of  which  he  respects. 

Volney  had  believed  in  the  virtue  of  Buonaparte,  had 
been  his  friend,  and  admitted  to  his  familiarity  : and,  being 
a sincere  lover  of  freedom  himself,  he  continued  its  de- 
fender. Not  sufficiently  aware  of  the  effects  that  the  exer- 
cise of  power  had  produced,  that  remonstrance  was  become 
offensive,  and  difference  of  opinion  an  insult ; he  was,  one 
day,  endeavouring  to  convince  the  chief  consul  of  the  mis- 
chief he  would  do  to  mankind  by  again  conferring  power 
on  the  priesthood,  admitting  the  smallest  of  its  once  usurped 
claims,  and  burthening  people,  who  were  of  a different 
creed,  with  a general  and  unjust  tax. 

Buonaparte  replied,  “ Why  do  you  mention  the  people  ? 
I do  but  act,  in  this  business,  according  to  their  desire  : a 


440 


THE  LIFE  OF 


large  majority  of  the  people  wish  for  the  re-establishment  of 
the  church.” 

Forgetful  of  the  possibility,  or,  perhaps,  not  suspecting 
it,  that  the  truth,  which  instantly  occurred  to  his  mind, 
should  so  deeply  wound  the  pride  of  a man  whose  suprema- 
cy was  so  recent,  Volney  answered,  “ Were  you  to  act 
according  to  the  will  of  the  majority  you  must  immediately 
cede  your  power  : the  majority  of  the  people  would  vote 
for  the  return  of  the  Bourbons.” 

The  rage  of  the  chief  consul  was  ungovernable  : the 
common  report  is,  that  he  instantly  struck  Volney  and  or- 
dered him  from  his  presence  ; since  which  he  has  never 
again  entered  the  palace  of  the  Thuilleries. 

Some  one,  in  the  true  spirit  of  French  declamation,  af- 
firmed, speaking  to  Buonaparte,  that  England  was  far  be- 
hind France  in  truly  understanding  the  principles  of  liberty : 
to  which  he  replied,  “ It  would  be  well  for  the  latter  if  it 
did  but  enjoy  one  tenth  part  of  English  freedom.” 

Buonaparte  seldom  condescends  to  argue  ; and,  when  he 
does,  he  considers  it  as  insolence  in  any  one  who  dares  to  be 
of  a different  opinion. 

Music  being,  one  day,  the  subject  of  discussion,  he 
affirmed,  “ It  is  so  simple  in  its  principles  that  no  man  can 
be  ignorant  of  it  who  understands  the  mathematics  : it  was 
the  most  monotonous  of  studies,  for  it  had  no  greater  va- 
riations than  may  be  found  in  different  angles,  obtuse  and 
acute.” 

Concerning  the  religious  opinions  of  Buonaparte,  no  man, 
it  is  said,  can  form  any  decisive  judgment : from  his  differ*, 
ent  discourse,  he  might  at  one  moment  be  imagined  an  in- 
fidel, at  another  a deist,  and  the  next,  perhaps,  a Christian ! 
To  Monge,  an  avowed  infidel,  who  was  expressing  his  dis- 
belief of  eternal  punishments,  Buonaparte  said,  (after  re- 
citing the  names  of  various  great  men  who  had  believed 
in  the  Christian  religion,  and  examples  of  others,  who,  in 
their  last  moments,  had  changed  their  opinions  from  fear,) 
that  he,  Monge,  would  certainly  die  a true  believer. 

He  appears  to  be  rather  a fatalist  than  a necessarian  : for 
he  believes,  or  affects  to  believe,  in  his  favourable  destiny. 

His  stature  is  diminutive,  his  complexion  sallow,  and  his 
physiognomy  bears  those  marks  that  denote  the  labours  of 
his  mind,  it  is  care-worn  ; but  it  is  also  susceptible  of  great 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  441 

(variety.  From  his  atrabilarious  complexion,  choler  might 
certainly  be  predicted,  but  from  the  sedateness  of  his  eye, 
not  of  that  sudden  and  impetuous  kind  to  which  he  is  so 
very  subject.  His  voice  in  conversation  is  clear  and  pleas- 
ant. 

On  Easter  Sunday,  1802,  the  farce  of  the  Concordat  was 
performed.  Buonaparte  entered  the  church  of  Notre  Dame: 
he  descended  the  aisle,  surrounded  by  attendants,  with  his 
hat  off  ; the  sallowness  of  his  complexion  was  overpower- 
ed by  the  emotions  of  thought,  there  was  colour  in  his  face'; 
a gentle  inclination  to  smile  rendered  his  mouth  pleasant ; 
his  aspect  was  gracious  ; his  forehead  large  and  open. 

After  this  pretended  solemnization  of  the  Concordat,  he 
asked  one  of  the  generals  who  attended  him,  what  he  thought 
of  the  ceremony  : to  which  the  general  sarcastically  replied, 
C’etoit  une  vraie  capucinade — “ It  was  a true  farce.” 
Buonaparte  appeared  not  to  notice  this  sneer,  and  the 
same  general  was  imprudent  enough  to  venture  another,  a 
few  days  afterwards,  on  the  same  subject : Buonaparte  re- 
garded him  with  one  of  those  frowns  of  terror,  which,  it  is 
said,  he  can  so  effectually  put  on  : and  the  general  fell  into 
disgrace. 

The  military  are  the  only  men  who  can  take  the  least  lib- 
erty with  him.  It  is  said  that  Moreau  was  invited  to  be 
present  at  Notre  Dame , to  assist  at  the  consecration  of  the 
colours,  and  to  dine  wjth  Buonaparte  : to  which  he  answer- 
ed : “ Of  your  three  invitations,  general ! I shall  only  ac- 
cept one  ; I will  dine  with  you  ; but  I will  neither  go  to 
Notre  Dame , nor  consecrate  colours.” 

In  the  plot  to  assassinate  Buonaparte,  (of  which  we  shall 
shortly  have  to  make  mention,)  there  were  persons  who  in- 
sinuated that  Moreau  had  taken  a part.  It  is  said  that  Buo- 
naparte sent  for  him,  and  told  him,  “ I have  heard  you  have 
joined  assassins  ; I give  no  credit  to  any  such  tale  : I know 
you  to  be  incapable  of  a base  action  : but,  such  is  the 
effervescence  of  mind  among  the  military,  that  you  will 
greatly  oblige  me  if  you  will  pass  two  or  three  days  at  your 
country  house.” 

With  this  request  Moreau  willingly  complied,  but  care- 
fully returned  on  the  third  day,  that  no  misconstruction,  by 
any  party,  might  be  put  on  his  conduct. 

When  general  Richepanse  returned  to  Paris,  he  went  to 

56 


442 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  levee  of  Buonaparte  and  there  presented  himself : he  was 
taken  no  notice  of,  aside  glance  from  the  chief  consul  except- 
ed, who  continued  his  conversation  with  another  general : 
Richepanse  made  a second  attempt,  and  met  the  same  recep- 
tion. Highly  offended,  Richepanse,  then,  in  a louder  tone, 
said  : “ Citizen  general  ! when  you  are  at  leisure — ” On 
which  Buonaparte  turned  round,  as  if  in  reply  to  a trouble- 
some person,  and  asked  “ What  do  you  want,  sir  ? who 
are  you  ? what  is  your  name  ?”  Richepanse  as  instantly  put 
his  hand  to  his  sword,  and  answered  : “ My  name,  citizen 
consul  ! is  Richepanse  ; a name,  which,  if  forgotten  by 
you,  has  the  honour  of  being  known  to  all  Europe.”  Buo- 
naparte, on  this,  recollected  himself : and,  with  that  affabil- 
ity he  can  so  readily  assume,  made  a gracious  apology 
for  absence  of  mind,  treated  Richepanse,  afterwards,  with 
distinction,  and  soon  appointed  him  commander  of  Guade- 
loupe. 

There  appears  to  be  a great  antipathy  in  Buonaparte  to 
whatever  reminds  him  of  the  Bourbon  family.  A man  had 
been  proposed  to  him  to  serve  as  his  head  huntsman,  and 
was  highly  praised  for  the  knowledge  that  fitted  him  for 
such  an  employment.  When  he  came  to  be  examined, 
Buonaparte  demanded  of  him  upon  what  grounds  he  form- 
ed his  superior  claims  as  a huntsman.  The  man  with  a 
very  imprudent  pride,  answered,  he  had  many  years  served 
in  the  same  capacity,  his  royal  master,  Louis  XVI. ! Buo- 
naparte gave  the  man  a look  and  turned  his  back. 

These  various  anecdotes  serve  to  depict  the  man  more 
accurately  ; they  unfold  the  minute  doublings  of  his  char- 
acter, and  shew,  without  disguise,  what  are  his  predominant 
qualities  : in  reading  them,  we  are  struck  with  that  mixture 
of  greatness,  sublimity,  weakness,  and  littleness,  of  which 
his  mind  seems  to  be  composed.  Buonaparte  certainly  is 
not  so  uniform  a character  as  those  great  men  of  antiquity 
with  whom  he  has  been  compared  : in  too  many  instances 
he  has  the  spots  of  the  sun  without  his  brightness. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


443 


CHAPTER  XXVII. 

The  year  1802,  was  considered  by  many  as  commencing 
in  a most  auspicious  manner.  The  termination  of  our  strug- 
gle with  France;  the  increased  glory  of  our  army  and  na- 
vy ; our  maritime  regulations  and  laws  gloriously  establish- 
ed, though  contended  for  by  the  northern,  confederary  ; the 
quiet  state  of  Ireland,  according  to  the  minister  ; and  last, 
not  least,  the  intended  repeal  of  the  income  tax,  a hateful 
impost,  which  was,  and  still  is,  borne  with  indignant  feelings 
by  the  people.  These  were  flattering  circumstances,  and  as 
such,  bailed  with  joy  by  the  British  nation.  Yet,  towards 
the  middle  of  January,  surprise  and  impatience  began  to  be 
expressed,  at  the  delay  of  the  signature  of  the  definitive 
treaty. 

The  situation  of  lord  Cornwallis,  at  Amiens,  was  awk- 
ward in  the  extreme  ; and  suspicions  began  to  be  enter- 
tained, that  he  was,  as  well  as  the  country  he  represented, 
egregiously  trifled  with.  In  the  mean  time,  Buonaparte, 
who  appeared  to  consider  the  congress  at  Amiens,  or  the  de- 
finitive treaty,  as  objects  merely  of  secondary  importance, 
prepared  to  set  out  for  Lyons,  for  the  ostensible  purpose  of 
conferring  with  a considerable  number  of  the  Cisalpine  dep- 
uties ; but,  rather,  as  it  appeared  in  the  event,  for  an  object 
of  infinitely  more  importance  to  him,  that  of  being  invest- 
ed with  the  sovereignty  of  that  country,  under  the  title  of 
president.  Talleyrand  preceded  him,  and  arrived  at  Lyons 
on  the  4th  of  January.  He  employed  his  time,  in  the  in- 
terval, between  his  arrival  and  that  of  the  first  consul,  in 
conciliating,  and  giving  several  magnificent  entertainments 
to  the  Cisalpine  deputies. 

Buonaparte  left  Paris  on  the  9th,  at  one  o’clock  in  the 
morning,  and  reached  Lyons  in  the  night  of  the  11th.  As 
he  approached  the  town,  he  was  met,  and  escorted,  by  a 
brilliant  troop  of  150  volunteers,  all  natives  of  that  town, 
young  men  of  fortune  and  fine  appearance.  Thus  accom- 
panied, he  entered  the  city  about  ten  o’clock  in  the  evening, 
amidst  the  loudest  acclamations,  and  the  most  rapturous 
expressions  of  universal  joy. 

During  the  first  part  of  his  residence  at  Lyons,  Buona- 
‘ parte  employed  his  time  in  visiting  the  different  manufacto 


444 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ries  and  establishments,  and  in  privately  conferring  with  the 
principal  Cisalpine  deputies.  At  the  hall  where  the  Consul- 
ta met,  a splendid  chair  was  prepared  for  him,  adorned  with 
military  trophies  ; the  room  was  decorated  with  various  or- 
naments, emblematical  of  his  victories,  and  inscribed  with 
mottos,  applicable  to  him  and  his  fortunes. 

The  meetings  of  the  Consulta  were  private,  and  they,  at 
length,  appointed  a committee  of  thirty,  to  prepare  a report 
of  the  actual  state  of  the  Cisalpine  nation,  and  the  means 
necessary  for  its  future  prosperity  and  happiness.  This 
committee,  accordingly,  presented  a report,  such  as  might 
have  been  expected,  declaring  it  absolutely  necessary  that 
Buonaparte  himself  should  undertake  the  sole  and  exclu- 
sive management  of  their  affairs  ! The  report  was  long, 
and  it  concluded  with  pressing  arguments,  for  the  first  con- 
sul to  take  upon  himself  the  unwilling  charge  of  governing 
the  Cisalpine  nation,  which,  by  the  treaty  of  Luneville,  was 
declared  independent  ! The  report  was  entered  into  the 
proces  verbal  of  the  Consulta,  and  unanimously  agreed  to 
by  the  Cisalpine  deputies.  A special:  committee  was  ap- 
pointed to  wait  on  Buonaparte  with  the  report,  which  invi- 
ted him,  not  in  his  capacity  of  first  consul  of  France,  but 
personally,  as  general  Buonaparte,  to  accept  the  government 
of  a country  as  populous,  fertile,  and  rich  in  resources,  as 
any  of  the  states  of  the  second  rank  in  Europe.  The  Cis- 
alpine deputies,  it  may  be  presumed,  found  no  difficulty  in 
persuading  Buonaparte  to  accept  that  which  was  the  undis- 
guised object  of  his  ambition,  and  the  now  avowed  motive 
of  his  journey  to  Lyons. 

On  the  26th  of  January,  the  first  consul,  accompanied  by 
Talleyrand,  and  Chaptal,  the  minister  of  the  interior,  four 
counsellors  of  state,  seventy  prefects  of  departments,  and 
a vast  train  of  general  officers,  took  his  seat  at  the  Cisalpine 
Consulta. 

The  first  consul  having  addressed  the  Consulta,  invited 
the  vice-president  to  place  himself  by  his  side ; he  took  him 
by  the  hand  and  embraced  him  : the  assembly  appeared 
grateful  for  this  spontaneous  mark  of  affection.  Citizen 
Prina  then  said,  u If  the  hand  that  has  created  and  defend- 
ed us  will  guide  us,  no  obstacle  can  stop  us,  and  our  con- 
fidence will  be  equal  to  that  admiration  with  which  the  hero, 
to  whom,  we  owe  our  happiness,  inspires  us.” 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  445 

The  first  consul  then  broke  up  the  sitting,  and  retired 
to  his  palace,  amidst  the  loudest  acclamations.  The  object 
of  the  visit  to  Lyons  being  thus  obtained,  he  returned  to 
Paris  on  the  30th. 

As  the  present  was  the  first  period  in  which  Buonaparte 
had  found  himself  in  profound  peace,  and,  as  the  public 
mind  was  no  longer  to  be  amused  by  his  victories,  which 
had  wholly  occupied  it  for  the  two  preceding  years,  it  re- 
quired  no  small  portion  of  political  skill  to  manage  a nation 
deemed  so  ardent,  so  irritable,  and  so  fickle,  as  that  of  the 
French. 

It  has  been  admitted  to  have  been  his  general  plan  from 
the  beginning,  to  unite  vigour  with  lenity  ; to  amuse  and 
gratify  the  French  people  as  much  as  possible  ; to  qualify, 
or  rather  overawe  liberty,  privileges  and  pretensions,  by  a 
complicated  chain  of  dependencies  on  himself,  and  by  the 
command  of  an  immense  military  : but,  at  the  same  time, 
it  is  but  justice  to  observe,  and  to  record,  that  his  power 
was  neither  exercised  by  wanton  caprice,  nor  kept  unem- 
ployed in  promoting  the  public  good.  In  the  preferments 
he  made,  merit  was  generally  the  first  qualification  con- 
sidered. He  restored  the  operation  of  laws,  and,  as  much 
as  he  could,  that  of  religion.  He  set  about  reforming  the 
civil  code  of  France  in  a very  serious  manner,  founding  it 
wholly  on  a moral  basis,  and  extending  its  influence  for  the 

I comfort  and  well- being  of  individuals,  to  many  domestic  sit- 
uations, cases  and  relations,  which  the  law  before  had  ne- 
ver taken  cognizance  of.  He  formed  a plan  for  educating 
youth  in  all  the  departments,  for  the  encouragement  of  ge- 
nius, and  the  advancement  of  science.  He  adopted  various 
regulations  in  the  finances,  commerce,  agriculture  and  ma- 
nufactures. In  his  patronization  of  the  arts,  liberal  and  me- 
chanical, new  canals,  new  roads,  and  new  bridges,  made 
their  appearance  ; and  knowing  the  French  are  fond  of  shew 
and  parade,  he  distributed  considerable  sums  for  improving 
and  embellishing  the  capital,  and  other  places,  among  which 
the  consular  palaces  were  not  forgotten.  In  increasing  the 
splendour  of  the  nation,  he  increased  his  own ; but  at  the 
same  time,  he  proved  himself  no  enemy  to  public  feasts, 
spectacles,  and  entertainments ; his  regulations,  his  counte- 
nance, and  example,  all  tended  to  discourage  and  check 
every  kind  of  looseness,  effeminacy,  or  frivolity  in  manners. 


446 


THE  LIFE  OF 


in  matters  of  amusement,  and  of  taste  ; he  honoured  mar- 
riage and  domestic  life  ; constancy  and  sincerity  in  attach- 
ments and  friendships.  Respecting  the  theatre,  he  set  his 
face  severely  against  all  loose  and  frivolous  pieces,  only  en- 
couraging such  as  were  of  a grave,  moral,  or  dignified  cast ; 
he,  of  course,  shewed  more  countenance  to  tragedies  than 
any  other  dramatic  performances.  In  his  own  private  de- 
portment, he  exhibited  an  example  of  a simple  and  labori- 
ous life.  He  pursued  no  extravagant  amusements  or  pro- 
pensities, but  lived  comfortably  with  his  family  ; and,  gen- 
erally speaking,  was  beloved  by  them.  In  fact,  his  life 
seems  to  have  been  that  of  labour,  with  very  little'relaxa- 
tion.  Nothing  passed  in  the  council  of  state,  that  did  not 
undergo  his  strict  examination.  He  heard  different  opinions 
with  great  patience,  considering  his  own  ardency  of  mind  ; 
but  he  saw  every  thing  with  his  own  eyes,  and  always  ex- 
ercised his  own  judgment.  Respecting  his  clemency,  his 
conduct  towards  malefactors,  and  even  traitors,  posterity 
will  do  him  ample  justice. 

A fine  trait  in  his  character  must  certainly  be  admitted  ; 
when  the  magistrates  of  Paris  had  passed  a resolution  to 
erect  a triumphal  portico  in  honour  of  him,  at  an  expense 
of  600,000  livres,  it  was  decreed,  besides,  “ That  the  first 
consul  should  be  reopiested  to  accept  the  present  delibera- 
tion as  a homage  of  gratitude,  and  a pledge  of  the  respect- 
ful attachment  of  the  city  of  Paris.” 

The  first  consul  returned  an  answer  by  the  following 
letter : 

“ Citizens, 

“ I have  seen,  with  gratitude,  the  sentiments  which  ani- 
mate the  magistrates  of  the  city  of  Paris.  The  idea  of 
dedicating  monuments  to  men  who  render  themselves  use- 
ful to  the  people,  is  honourable  to  nations.  I accept  the 
offer  of  the  monument  which  you  wish  to  erect  to  me  ; let 
the  place  be  determined,  but  leave  to  future  ages  the  care 
of  constructing  it ; if  they  should  ratify  the  good  opinion 
which  you  entertain  of  me. 

“ I salute  you  affectionately, 

(Signed)  “Bonaparte.” 

In  Buonaparte’s  expose , he  observed,  “ that  at  St.  Do- 
mingo, some  irregular  acts  had  given  alarm  for  its  allegi- 
ance ; but  an  army  and  a fleet,  which  were  preparing  to  set 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


447 


gut  from  the  ports  of  Europe,  would  soon  dissipate  all 
these  clouds,  and  St.  Domingo  return  entirely  under  the 
laws  of  the  republic.” 

The  prospect  of  peace  with  England,  had  induced  the 
first  consul  to  turn  his  thoughts  to  the  recovery  of  that  val- 
uable colony  to  France.  The  celebrated  general  Toussaint 
Louverture,  was  one  of  the  last  chieftains  who  had  risen 
into  consequence  in  that  devoted  island,  after  a struggle 
between  the  blacks  and  whites,  during  nearly  four  years, 
from  1795  to  1798  ; and,  in  which  the  English,  unfortu- 
nately, taking  part  with  the  French  inhabitants,  who  wished 
to  come  under  the  British  yoke,  suffered  the  most  dreadful 
mortality,  by  sickness  more  than  the  sword  ; and  were,  at 
length,  compelled  to  evacuate  the  island,  at  a period  when, 
out  of  the  whole  number,  not  more  than  1,100  were  left 
alive.  The  last  places  they  evacuated  were  the  towns  of 
Port-au-Prince  and  St.  Marc,  with  their  respective  depen- 
dencies, together  with  the  parish  of  Arcahaye ; a measure, 
which,  by  a judicious  agreement  with  Toussaint,  the  Eng- 
lish brigadier- general  Maitland,  happily  effected  without 
loss,  and  withdrew,  with  the  troops,  to  Mole  St.  Nicholas. 
In  a word,  the  final  retreat  of  the  British  from  the  island, 
took  place  in  October  1798  ; but,  between  that  period  and 
the  latter  end  of  1801,  after  the  signing  of  the  prelimina- 
ries of  peace  with  England,  the  French  could  never  recover 
their  authority  in  that  island ; this  induced  Buonaparte  to 
send  a fleet  and  a powerful  army  for  that  purpose. 

It  was  not  till  the  17th  of  February,  1802,  that  the  cam- 
paign actually  commenced.  On  that  day,  general  Des- 
fourneux’s  division,  advanced  to  the  Limbe  ; general  Har- 
di’s  to  the  Grand  Boucamp,  and  the  Mormes ; and  that 
under  general  Rochambeau,  against  La  Januerie,  and  the 
wood  of  L’Amc.  A small  corps,  composed  of  the  garri- 
sons of  the  Cape,  and  fort  Dauphine,  advanced  against  St. 
Lauzanne,  Le  Tron,  and  Valliere  ; they  had  to  contend 
with  great  disadvantages  in  the  ground,  and  the  attacks  of 
the  negroes,  concealed  among  the  trees,  bordering  the 
vallies  : these  columns,  however,  took  possession  of  the 
positions  they  were  ordered  to  occupy  ; viz.  those  of  Plai- 
sance,  St.  Michel,  and  Marmelade ; this  place,  the  black 
general,  Christophe,  defended  in  person,  with  2,400  men. 
As  the  blacks  published  nothing  of  their  proceedings,  w< 


448 


THE  LIFE  OF 


are  compelled  to  take  the  account  of  the  French  general, 
Leclerc,  of  which  the  following  is  an  abstract. 

“ General  Debelles  attempted,  in  vain,  to  dislodge  the 
rebel  general  Maurepas,  from  his  position  at  Gonaives, 
owing  to  a very  heavy  fall  of  rain,  which  harassed  the  French 
troops,  and  prevented  them  from  acting.  Several  other 
columns  of  the  French  army,  however,  advancing  against 
him,  a few  days  after,  Maurepas  thought  proper  to  surren- 
der himself,  upon  the  condition  held  out  in  general  Leclerc’s 
proclamation,  of  retaining  his  rank. 

“ General  Dessalines  proved  the  most  dexterous,  as  well 
as  the  most  bloody  of  the  rebels.  By  some  rapid  manoeu- 
vres, he  found  means  to  set  fire  to  the  Leogane,  in  spite  of 
general  Boudett’s  efforts  to  prevent  him.  His  cruelties, 
dictated  by  the  orders  of  Toussaint,  had  spread  terror  and 
detestation  of  their  government  through  the  whole  island, 

‘ Never,  at  Constantinople,’  adds  the  French  general,  ‘ were 
heads  cut  off,  or  cruelties  inflicted  with  less  remorse,  than 
by  Toussaint  and  his  adherents.’ 

“ General  Laplume,  commanding  the  south  quarter  of 
the  island,  voluntarily  submitted  to  the  French  government. 
By  this  means,  the  south  was  put  into  their  possession,  and 
general  Dessalines  was  forced  to  retire  into  the  great  woods. 

“ Christophe,  after  having  set  fire  to  Gonaives,  was  driven 
from  post  to  post,  and  at  length,  forced  to  take  refuge  in 
the  mountains. 

“ A strong  position,  called  Ravine-a-Coulenore,  had  been 
occupied  by  Toussaint,  with  a chosen  body  of  troops,  com- 
posed of  500  grenadiers,  1,200  picked  men,  and  400  dra- 
goons.  Every  means  had  been  employed  to  render  the  po- 
sition impregnable.  General  Rochambeau,  however,  at- 
tacked the  entrenchments  of  the  enemy  with  irresistible  im- 
petuosity, and,  after  a desperate  conflict,  in  which  Tous- 
saint’s  troops  fought  man  to  man,  Toussaint  was  forced  to 
evacuate  his  position,  and  to  retreat  in  confusion  to  the  Pe- 
tite Reviere,  leaving  800  men  dead  on  the  field  of  battle. 

“ After  this  defeat,  the  inhabitants  of  the  country  looked 
upon  Toussaint  as  ruined  ; the  cultivators  returned  to  their 
habitations  : his  soldiers  deserted  their  colours,  and  every 
one  looked  upon  the  French  as  masters  of  the  colony. 

“ General  Leclerc  had  set  out  in  pursuit  of  Toussaint, 
He  concludes  his  letters  as  follows  c Thus,  has  the  ar 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


449 


I my  of  St.  Domingo,  in  a campaign  of  five  days,  dispersed 
the  principal  bodies  of  the  enemy,  and  made  itself  master 
of  their  baggage,  and  a part  of  their  artillery  ; desertion  has 
reached  the  camp  of  the  enemy  ; Clervaux,  Laplume,  Mau- 
repas,  and  several  other  black  chiefs,  or  men  of  colour, 
have  submitted.  The  plantations  of  the  south  are  preser- 
ved entire,  all  the  Spanish  part  has  completely  submitted.’  ” 
Another  letter  from  the  commander  in  chief,  to  the  min- 
ister of  marine,  dated  head-quarters,  the  1st  March,  is  as 
follows  : 

“ I communicated  to  you,  citizen  minister,  in  my  dis- 
patch of  the  day  belore  yesterday,  the  success  which  we 
had  obtained.  We  are  now  in  pursuit  of  Toussaint,  who 
has  retired  into  the  Mirebelais.  General  Rochambeau,  who 
has  passed  the  Ester,  general  Boudett,  who  has  set  out  from 
Port-au-Prince,  and  the  columns  of  the  Spanish  army,  which 
; are  marching  in  that  direction,  induce  me  to  hope  that  he 
cannot  long  escape  us.  Of  the  500  horse-guards  which  he 
had,  300  have  already  deserted  him.  Dessalines,  the  most 
ferocious  of  them  all,  has  massacred  some  whites.  Fortu- 
nately, we  have  some  time  yet  before  us,  ere  the  great  rains 
and  heats  commence.  All  the  coasts  and  the  ports  of  the 
island  are  in  our  possession.  Nothing  can  equal  the  fa- 
tigues of  our  troops,  nothing  can  equal  their  indignation 
against  this  ferocious  banditti.” 

In  this  warfare  the  infurated  negroes  spared  neither  age 
nor  sex,  of  those  who  fell  into  their  hands.  All  the  planta- 
tions for  many  miles  round  the  Cape,  exhibited  a continu- 
ed scene  of  devastation. 

In  fact,  general  Leclerc’s  details  of  the  campaign,  even 
in  its  commencement,  gave  a dreadful  picture  of  the  nature 
of  the  contest,  which,  horrible  to  relate  ! seemed  to  be  con- 
ducted upon  an  indiscriminate  massacre  on  both  sides. 
General  Leclerc  gives  an  account  of  the  capture  of  the  im- 
portant post  of  Cretea  Pierrot,  which  was  defended  with 
the  utmost  obstinacy  by  the  rebel  army.  It  appears,  that 
the  French  force  was  not  strong  enough  at  once  to  attack 
this  position  and  protect  its  former  conquests  ; so  that,  while 
they  marched  into  the  interior,  Toussaint  and  Christ ophe 
fell  upon  the  country  in  their  rear,  burned  all  the  towns  of 
the  northern  plain,  and  braved  general  Boyer  in  his  intrench - 
ments,  within  a few  miles  of  the  Cape,  That  general, 

57 


450 


THE  LIFE  OF 


however,  maintained  his  post,  and  Toussaint  retired  to  Go- 
naives,  whither  general  Rochambeau  was  sent  in  pursuit  of 
him.  'Fhe  reinforcements  from  Havre  and  Flushing  had  ar- 
rived after  these  actions  ; and  admiral  Villaret,  who  announ- 
ced this  circumstance  in  the  island,  vainly  supposed  that  it 
would  be  sufficient  to  conquer  it.  The  rebels,  most  cer- 
tainly were  unable  to  keep  the  field  ; but  the  French,  weak- 
ened by  the  climate,  as  well  as  by  the  sword,  were  unable 
to  follow  up  their  advantages,  or  retain  what  they  had  con- 
quered. In  another  dispatch  from  general  Leclerc,  dated 
head-quarters  at  the  Cape,  May  8,  he  says,  “ The  rebels 
were  beaten  and  dispersed  in  every  direction,  terror  filled 
their  camps  : destitute  of  stores,  and  almost  without  pow- 
der, they  were  reduced  to  eat  bananas.  The  arrival  of  the 
squadron  from  Flushing  and  Havre,  gave  the  finishing  blow. 
Christophe  sent  to  inform  me,  that  he  had  always  been  a 
friend  to  the  whites,  whose  social  qualities  and  information 
he  had  esteemed  more  highly  than  any  other  men  of  colour  ; 
that  all  the  Europeans  who  had  been  in  St.  Domingo,  could 
bear  testimony  to  his  principles  and  his  conduct  ; but,  that 
imperious  circumstances,  which  govern,  and  frequently  de- 
cide, the  conduct  of  a public  character,  had  not  left  him  pow- 
er  to  act  as  he  could  have  wished  ; in  a word,  that  he  was 
anxious  to  know  whether  there  still  remained  any  hopes  of 
safety  for  him.  I returned,  in  answer,  that  with  the  French 
people,  the  door  of  repentance  was  always  left  open  ; that 
the  constant  habit  of  the  first  consul,  was  to  weigh  the  ac- 
tions of  men,  and  that  a single  misdeed,  whatever  were  its 
consequences,  never  effaced  the  remembrance  of  services 
formerly  rendered  ; that,  in  fact,  the  information  received 
by  me,  previous  to  my  departure,  was  personally  favourable 
to  him  : and,  in  short,  that  if  he  was  willing  to  place  him- 
self at  my  discretion,  he  would  have  reason  to  be  satisfied. 
He  still  hesitated.  Several  columns  marched  in  pursuit  of 
him,  and  some  slight  encounters  took  place.  At  length, 
Christophe  apprised  me,  that  I had  only  to  send  him  my  or- 
ders. Those  I sent,  were,  that  he  should  repair,  alone,  to 
the  Cape,  dismiss  all  the  working  negroes,  whom  he  had  still 
with  him,  and  collect  all  the  troops  under  his  command. 
Every  thing  was  punctually  executed  ; the  submission  of 
Christophe  completed  the  consternation  of  Toussaint.  He 
employed  every  means  to  acquaint  me  with  the  afflicting 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


451 


situation  in  which  he  was  placed,  and  with  what  pain  he  saw 
hostilities  continued  without  an  object,  and  without  an  end. 
He  added,  that  very  unfortunate  circumstances  had  already 
occasioned  many  calamities ; but,  that,  however  great  the 
force  of  the  French  army,  he  should  still  remain  suffi- 
ciently strong  and  powerful  to  burn,  ravage,  and  sell  dear- 
ly a life,  which  had  once  been  useful  to  the  mother  coun- 
try. I caused  Toussaint  to  be  informed,  that  he  had  only 
to  repair  to  the  Cape,  and  that  the  hour  of  pardon  might 
still  return.  Toussaint  did  not  fail  to  profit  by  the  permis- 
sion I had  given  : he  came  to  see  me,  entreated  to  be  re- 
stored to  favour,  and  took  an  oath  of  fidelity  to  France. 
I accepted  his  submission,  and  ordered  him  to  repair  to  a plan- 
tation near  Gonaives,  and  never  to  leave  it  without  my  per- 
mission. I have  placed  Dessalines  at  a plantation  near  St. 
Marc.” 

General  Leclerc,  having  thus  got  Toussaint  and  Dessa- 
lines in  his  power,  talked  of  attending  only  to  the  internal 
administration  of  the  affairs  of  the  colony  ; but  for  this  no 
opportunity  yet  offered.  It  should  have  been  observed, 
that,  after  Toussaint  submitted,  Christophe,  and  all  the  black 
chiefs  were  dispirited,  their  troops  broken  and  dispersed  ; 
and,  finally,  to  extinguish,  as  it  were,  the  last  ray  of  hope, 
on  the  12th  of  May,  Toussaint,  with  his  whole  family  were 
arrested,  put  on  board  a frigate,  and  shipped  off  for  France  ! 

The  arrest  of  Toussaint  produced  such  an  unfavourable 
impression,  that  the  French  were  never  able  to  eradicate  it. 
Christophe  and  Dessalines,  fearing  the  same  treatment,  es- 
caped the  possibility  of  it  by  flight.  The  negroes,  in  gen- 
eral, complained  they  had  been  deceived  : the  whole  island 
revolted.  The  climate,  it  has  been  observed,  “ came  to  the 
assistance  of  these  avengers  of  tyranny  and  falsehood.” 
Leclerc,  himself,  fell  a victim  to  it : in  fact,  the  mortality 
among  the  French  troops,  during  their  short  campaign  in 
the  West  Indies,  was  beyond  all  example,  in  Egypt  or  any 
other  quarter.  Besides  the  commander  in  chief,  six  or  sev- 
en generals  of  division  were  among  the  dead  ; and,  in  the 
month  of  September,  only  27,500,  including  a corps  of 
4,000  blacks,  could  be  accounted  for,  and  one-fifth  of  those 
were  in  the  hospitals!  Even  the  Moniteur  admitted,  that  a 
fifth  of  the  troops  embarked,  had  absolutely  perished  with- 
out obtaining  the  object  for  which  they  were  sent  out  : at 


452 


THE  LIFE  OF 


the  same  time,  the  determination  of  the  consular  govern- 
ment, to  restore  slavery  in  that  quarter  of  the  globe,  where 
its  subjects  had  been,  at  first,  permitted  to  taste  the  sweets 
of  liberty,  astonished  the  impartial,  and  disgusted  a much 
greater  number,  who  had  been  the  warmest  admirers  of  the 
idea  of  emancipation. 

Guadaloupe  was  also  threatened  with  a serious  insurrec- 
tion, but  the  insurgents  were  reduced  by  the  forces  under 
the  French  general,  Richepanse,  with  very  little  loss  or  op- 
position. One  circumstance  only  excited  the  strongest 
emotions  of  any  produced  by  this  memorable  campaign. 
We  have  alluded  to  it  before  : it  was  the  law  passed  by  the 
French  legislative  body  on  the  17th  of  May,  before  it  was 
known  that  Toussaint  had  been  accused,  or  was  guilty  of 
treachery.  By  this  act  slavery  was  re-established  in  all  the 
French  colonies,  on  the  same  footing  as  it  was  previous  to 
1789  ; and  the  slave  trade,  and  the  importation  of  negroes, 
were  ordered  to  be  renewed,  with  all  the  encouragement 
and  advantages  which  this  detestable  traffic  enjoyed  under 
the  old  French  government ! That  this  conduct  on  the  part 
of  the  French  was  agreeable  to  England  cannot  be  doubted ; 
but,  though  an  understanding  between  the  two  governments, 
relative  to  the  slaves,  has  been  suspected,  there  is  no  doc- 
ument whatever  produced,  to  fix  the  public  opinion  upon  a 
subject  so  apparently  mysterious. 

The  daily  extension  of  Buonaparte’s  power  gave  very 
serious  uneasiness  to  the  emperor  of  Germany,  as  well  as 
to  the  English  ; so  much  so,  that  the  imperial  cabinet, 
though  bound  by  the  treaty  of  Luneville  to  admit  of  the 
German  indemnities,  and  the  secularization  of  several  of 
the  ecclesiastical  sovereignties,  was,  nevertheless,  extremely 
averse  to  the  prosecution  of  this  ungrateful  business.  The 
court  of  Vienna  even  remonstrated  against  the  recent  pro- 
ceeding of  the  first  consul,  in  annexing  the  dutchies  of 
Parma  and  Piacenza  to  the  French  republic.  It  appeared, 
that  by  the  treaty  of  Aix-la-Chapelle,  in  1748,  the  house 
of  Austria  claimed  the  succession  to  these  sovereignties,  in 
case  of  the  failure  of  issue  in  the  present  reigning  branch. 
This,  however,  was  no  time  to  revive  old  claims,  and  the 
reluctance  of  the  emperor  to  enter  upon  the  German  indem- 
nities, probably,  urged  Buonaparte  to  hasten  them.  The 
French  treaty  with  Russia,  it  soon  appeared,  referred  to  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


453 


business  that  was  to  be  opened  at  Ratisbon.  The  emperor 
of  Russia  was  called  in,  in  some  measure,  as  one  of  its 
guarantees.  It  was,  in  some  degree,  an  unhappy  prece- 
dent, because  it  was  upon  the  ground  of  the  emperor  of 
Russia’s  guarantee,  that  he  afterwards  interfered,  together 
with  the  king  of  Sweden,  in  order,  as  they  urged,  to  pre- 
serve the  Germanic  constitution.  In  a matter  where  so 
many  jarring  interests  were  implicated,  where  states  and 
principalities  were  to  be  again  portioned  out;  where  the 
lesser  powers  were  to  be  sacrificed  as  remunerations  to  the 
greater,  it  was  not  strange  that  the  proceedings  should  be 
rather  tardy.  Nothing  was  effectually  done  till  the  17th  of 
July,  when  the  emperor  of  Germany  transmitted  a rescript 
to  the  diet  of  Ratisbon,  stating,  that  he  had  not  ceased  to 
occupy  his  attention  with  the  means  of  terminating  the  im- 
portant business  of  the  peace ; but  that  he  found  the  prin- 
cipal parties  had  applied,  in  the  mean  time,  to  Russia  and 
France,  and  solicited  the  mediation  of  these  powers  in  or- 
der to  obtain  the  indemnities  they  waited  for : that  Russia 
had,  consequently,  proposed  to  open  negotiations  at  Paris, 
in  February  1 802  ; and  that,  soon  after,  a convention  was 
concluded,  without  his  participation,  between  France  and 
Russia  ; and  it  was  desired  his  imperial  majesty  would  di- 
rect the  definitive  arrangement  of  it,  according  to  the  con- 
stitution. It  was  thus  that,  by  the  superior  policy  and  in- 
fluence of  Buonaparte,  the  ancient  and  stupendous  fabric 
of  the  Germanic  empire  was  loosened,  and,  as  it  were, 
taken  down  by  piecemeal.  However,  the  emperor,  seeing 
all  his  authority  about  to  be  taken  from  him,  submitted,  for 
the  time,  with  the  best  grace  he  could  ; he,  nevertheless,  by 
his  persevering  objections,  obtained  terms  rather  more  ad- 
vantageous than  might  have  been  expected,  for  his  royal 
relative,  the  grand  duke  of  Tuscany.  The  newly  modified 
scheme  of  indemnities,  was  called  a supplement  to  the  plan  ; 
according  to  this,  the  elector  of  Mentz  obtained  the  cities 
of  Ratisbonand  Wetzlar ; the  princes  of  Baden,  Wirtemberg, 
and  Hesse  Cassel,  were  made  electors  ; and  the  king  of 
Great  Britain  accepted  the  cession  of  the  bishopric  of  Os- 
naburgh,  as  a compensation  for  Hildesheim,  Corvey,  and 
Hoexter,  provided  Osnaburgh  was  given  him  in  perpetuity, 
as  formerly  he  had  only  the  right  of  alternate  nomination 
to  that  bishopric.  He  now  abandoned,  on  behalf  of  the  cit- 


454 


THE  LIFE  OF 


ies  of  Hamburgh  and  Bremen,  the  rights  and  property  he 
exercised  in  and  over  them.  But,  to  raise  the  interest  of 
France  in  the  German  empire,  upon  the  ruins  of  the  house 
of  Austria,  the  first  consul  and  his  majesty  the  emperor  of 
Russia  agreed,  that  it  was  at  once  possible  and  suitable  to 
preserve  in  the  empire  an  ecclesiastical  elector.  They  pro- 
posed, in  consequence,  that  the  arch-chancellor  should  be 
transferred  to  Rutisbon,  with  the  abbey  of  St.  Emeran,  Ober 
Munster,  and  Neider  Munster  ; preserving  his  ancient  pos- 
session of  the  great  bailiwick  of  Aschaffenburg,  on  the 
right  of  the  Main.  This  new  officer,  afterwards  proved 
to  be  a person  of  great  consequence  in  promoting  the  in- 
terest of  the  French  empire. 

In  the  meanwhile,  a dispute  between  the  elector  of  Ba- 
varia, and  his  neighbour,  the  bishop  of  Passau,  had  nearly 
proceeded  to  blows.  The  emperor  of  Germany  support- 
ed the  latter,  and  took  possession  of  the  bishopric,  to  keep 
it  out  of  the  hands  of  the  elector. 

On  the  22d  of  August,  the  emperor  could  no  longer  re- 
frain from  causing  his  commissary,  baron  Hugel,  to  express 
his  displeasure  to  the  diet.  He  flattered  the  newly  con- 
quered Germans,  by  styling  them  a free , independent  na- 
tion ; and  mentioned  the  emperor’s  surprise,  that  they  should 
permit  two  foreign  powers  to  subscribe  to  it  in  its  internal 
concerns.  On  the  24th,  the  same  complaints  were  renew- 
ed in  an  imperial  rescript ; which  was  answered  on  the  28th 
by  the  French  minister,  Laforet,  who  simply  enforced  the 
declaration  of  the  two  mediating  powers.  The  emperor 
again  expressed  his  dissatisfaction  as  to  indemnities  granted 
to  the  grand  duke  of  Tuscany  ; but,  on  the  8th  of  Septem- 
ber, the  influence  of  France  arose  predominant  in  the  diet : 
the  plan  of  indemnities,  after  much  debate,  was  accepted, 
and  a conclusion  voted  accordingly.  The  court  of  Vienna, 
still  thinking  its  interests  neglected,  had  instructed  baron 
Hugel,  the  imperial  plenipotentiary,  to  refuse  to  ratify  the 
conclusum.  At  length,  in  the  thirtieth  sitting  of  the  depu- 
tation, on  the  22dof  November,  a final  conclusum  was  vo- 
ted, and  which  was,  ultimately,  though  with  great  reluc- 
tance, acceded  to  by  the  emperor,  with  very  few  alterations ; 
and  thus,  as  it  was  observed,  a total,  and  a violent  alteration 
was  made  in  the  map  of  Germany  ; the  constitution  of  which 
suffered  a much  greater  infraction  than  that  effected  by  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


455 


treaty  of  Westphalia,  and  the  thirty  years  war,  when  the 
arrogance  of  the  house  of  Austria  had  been  humbled  by 
the  heroic  Gustavus  Adolphus,  and  prince  Maurice,  of  Sax- 
ony. Thus,  by  virtue  of  treaties,  and  by  force  of  arms, 
France,  under  the  first  consul,  had  acquired  an  extent  of 
territory  of  four  thousand  five  hundred  square  miles,  with 
an  additional  population  of  four  millions  three  hundred  and 
eighty-one  thousand,  one  hundred  and  sixty-eight  inhabit- 
ants ; comprehending  Savoy,  Nice,  Avignon,  the  Austrian 
Netherlands,  Geneva,  and  all  the  German  possessions  on  the 
left  bank  of  the  Rhine  ; together  with  Parma,  Placentia, 
Piedmont,  and  the  island  of  Elba,  comprising  a population 
of  nearly  one  million  more.  Besides  this,  France  exerci- 
sed an  unlimited  control  over  the  whole  of  Italy,  the  Uni- 
ted Provinces,  and  the  republic  of  Genoa  ; while  Spain, 
Portugal,  and  Prussia,  were  looked  upon  much  in  the  same 
light  as  allies. 

On  the  12th  of  February,  1803,  it  was  announced  by  the 
Paris  papers,  that  a conspiracy  of  a very  complicated  na- 
ture had  been  discovered.  It  is  said,  that  150  men  were  to 
assemble  in  the  uniform  of  guards,  to  seize  Buonaparte  at 
Malmaison,  where  he  was  hunting,  or  wherever  else  he 
might  be  found,  and  to  carry  him  off.  The  uniforms  were 
discovered  in  consequence  of  the  information  of  one  of  the 
conspirators,  who  is  in  confinement  in  the  Temple.  The 
chief  of  the  Chouans,  Georges,  only  escaped  by  a quarter 
of  an  hour.  The  officers  of  the  police,  also  repaired  to  the 
mistress  of  an  inn  here.  The  sign  of  the  conspirators  was 
an  English  piece  of  gold.  They  drew  off  her  glove,  and 
found  in  it  a similar  piece  of  English  gold.  They  then 
opened  her  drawers,  and  found  a letter,  directing  her,  on  a 
day  specified,  to  carry  to  a certain  house  in  the  Rue  de  Bur  - 
goinge  an  Morris , twenty  bottles  of  wine,  and  to  ring  so 
many  times  at  the  door.  The  police  officers  took  the  bot- 
tles, and  repaired  to  the  house,  where  they  rang,  and  found 
a number  of  persons,  who  defended  themselves  in  a very- 
desperate  manner.  Among  those  arrested,  were  Mairn,  an 
intimate  of  Georges,  the  Vendean  royalist : one  Victor,  who 
had  been  in  a former  plot,  and  the  cook  of  Georges.  Gen- 
eral Moreau  has  been  arrested,  and  the  grand  plot  has  been 
solemnly  announced  by  the  government  to  the  legislative 
assembly.  It  was  then  stated,  that  general  Moreau  had 


456 


THE  LIFE  OF 


held  repeated  conferences  with  Georges,  Pichegru,  and 
La  Jollais ; and  the  whole  of  the  conspiracy  was  attributed 
to  the  English  government. 

On  the  17th  of  February,  Regnier,  the  grand  judge, 
made  a report  to  the  French  government,  in  which  he  as- 
serted, that  a band  of  assassins,  headed  by  Georges,  and  in 
the  pay  ol  England,  were  still  dispersed  in  La  Vendee, 
Morbihan,  and  the  Cotes  du  Nord.  It  was  also  stated,  that 
an  accomplice  had  been  lately  seized  at  Calais,  upon  his  se- 
cond return  from  England,  and  that  the  papers  found  on 
him,  proved  the  criminality  of  general  Moreau.  La  Jol- 
lais was  the  courier  who  transmitted  the  sentiments  of  Mo- 
reau to  general  Pichegru,  when  the  latter  was  in  London  ; 
and,  that  at  a spot  between  Dieppe  and  Treport,  the  brig- 
ands of  England  were  brought  over  in  English  ships,  by 
captain  Wright,  and  landed,  without  being  observed,  and 
where  they  found  men  to  receive  them,  and  to  conduct 
them,  during  the  night,  from  fixed  stations  on  the  road,  to 
Paris. 

After  the  judge’s  report  had  been  read  in  the  tribunate, 
the  brother  of  general  Moreau  made  an  energetic  and  indig- 
nant speech,  declaring  the  whole  an  infamous  calumny, 
and  demanding  that  his  brother  might  be  instantly  brought 
to  trial.  The  senate,  howe  ver,  imputing  the  speech  more 
to  natural  affection  than  sound  judgment,  transmitted  an 
address  of  congratulation  to  Buonaparte,  to  which,  in  the 
conclusion  of  his  reply,  he  expressed  himself,  in  a manner 
prophetically,  as  follows  : 

“ I have  long  since  renounced  the  hope  of  enjoying  the 
pleasures  of  private  life  : all  my  days  are  employed  in  ful- 
filling the  duties  which  my  fate,  and  the  will  of  the  French 
people,  have  imposed  on  me.  Heaven  will  watch  over 
France,  and  defeat  the  plots  of  the  wicked.  The  citizens 
may  be  without  alarm ; my  life  will  last  as  long  as  it  will 
be  useful  to  the  nation  : but  I wish  the  French  people  to 
understand,  that  existence,  without  their  confidence  and 
affection,  would  be  to  me  without  consolation,  and  would, 
for  them,  have  no  object.” 

This  unsuccessful  attempt  upon  the  life  of  Buonaparte, 
after  he  had  been  acknowledged  as  the  lawful  sovereign  of 
France,  was  considered  as  too  atrocious  to  be  passed  over, 
by  the  Moniteur , without  repeated  animadversion  : that  of 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE.  457 

March  7,  1804,  contained,  among  others,  the  following 
striking  observations : 

“ Last  year,  on  this  day,  Europe  was  at  peace  ! to-mor- 
row, a year  will  have  revolved  since  the  king  of  England, 
dishonouring  a reign  of  forty-two  years  by  the  grossest 

! falsehoods,  called  upon  his  nation  to  take  up  arms — ‘ Be- 
cause,’ said  he,  in  the  face  of  Europe,  ‘ the  ports  of  France 
and  Holland  are  filled  with  considerable  armaments,  which 
threaten  the  constitution,  the  independence,  and  the  religion 
of  the  English  people.’  That  fallacious  message  renewed 
the  war  : the  ministers  of  the  king  of  England  were  pre- 
paring a new  message  to  celebrate  this  anniversary  : they 
relied  upon  being  able  to  announce  to  parliament,  that  they 
had  basely  caused  the  first  consul  to  be  assassinated.  But 
he  who  disposes  of  the  life  of  man,  and  of  the  destinies  of 
empires,  had  otherwise  ordained  it.  The  French  govern- 
ment is  more  consolidated  ; a new  energy  has  arisen  to  an- 
imate and  unite  the  citizens,  and  to  teach  the  conspirators 
that  the  whole  people  collects  itself  and  rallies  round  the 
chief  of  the  state.  The  first  consul,  superior  to  all  events, 
is  more  enabled  than  ever  to  fulfil  the  decree  of  the  Fates, 
and  to  avenge  the  rights  of  nations  so  frequently  violated  ; 

while  the  king  of  England — ” 

At  the  sight  of  these  striking  proofs  of  the  existence  of  a 
divine  and  just  Providence,  the  most  sublime  pictures  of 
the  prophecies  of  Isaiah  present  themselves  to  the  mind  : 
we  say,  with  Daniel,  Mene , Tekel,  Upharsin,  viz.  Thou 
art  weighed  in  the  balance  and  found  wanting. 

The  next  subject  that  occupied  the  public  attention  was 
the  seizure  of  one  of  the  royal  family  of  France;  viz.  the 
duke  d’Enghien,  at  Ettenheim,  in  the  German  territory  of 
the  elector  of  Baden  ; where  a number  of  emigrants,  and 
other  persons,  said,to  have  been  in  the  pay  of  England,  had 
been  some  time  assembled.  Notice  of  inis  assemblage 
having  been  sent  to  Paris,  Buonaparte  dispatched  M.  de 
Caulincourt,  his  aid-de-camp,  who,  arriving  on  the  Ger- 
man side  of  the  Rhine,  marched  towards  Offenbourg, 
where  he  ordered  the  commandant  to  point  out  the  emi- 
grants in  that  town,  fifteen  of  whom  were  immediately  ar- 
rested, including  the  duke  d’Enghien.  No  resistance  was 
made  by  the  elector  of  Baden  ; but  he  immediately  dis- 
patched a courier  to  his  son-in-law,  the  emperor  of  .Russia, 

58 


458 


THE  LIFE  OF 


This  took  place  on  the  14th  of  March  ; and,  in  the  night 
between  the  21st  and  22d,  the  duke  having  arrived  at  Pa- 
ris, under  an  escort  of  fifty  gens  d’armes,  he  was  convey- 
ed to  the  castle  of  Vincennes,  where  he  was  tried  and  con- 
demned by  a military  commission,  assembled  for  the  pur- 
pose. He  was  immediately  transferred  to  the  wood  of  Vin- 
cennes. He  desired  to  speak  with  the  first  consul,  but  this 
could  not  be  obtained  : he  then  collected  himself,  and  met 
death  with  resolution  : he  would  not  suffer  his  eyes  to  be 
bound.  Of  the  nine  grenadiers  who  fired  at  him,  seven 
bullets  took  place.  He  was  buried  in  the  garden  of  the 
castle,  in  the  thirty-second  year  of  his  age. 

The  early  part  of  the  year  1804,  was  distinguished  by 
an  undertaking,  which,  by  right,  should  only  have  been  re- 
corded in  the  annals  of  dulness.  A design,  which  origina- 
ted with  a London  bookseller,  was  thus  announced,  in  the 
Monthly  Magazine  for  March  1804.  “The  French  and 
Dutch  ports  are  now  blocked  up  more  closely  than  ever  ; 
and  a plan  has  been  proposed,  by  Mr.  Richard  Philips,  and 
is  about  to  be  carried  into  effect,  for  filling  up  those  ports,  at 
least  in  part,  with  stones,  and  with  the  hulks  of  old  vessels  ; 
so  as  to  make  it  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  for  even  any  sort 
of  ships,  or  small  craft,  that  can  be  armed  for  invasion,  to 
make  their  way  out  of  them,  &c.  Besides,  to  block  up 
the  ports  of  France  and  Holland  (if  this  can  indeed  be  ef- 
fected by  artificial  sandbanks  and  sunken  rocks)  would  re- 
duce them  more  certainly  to  an  absolute  inability  of  invad- 
ing our  country,  rivalling  our  commerce,  or  coping  with 
our  ships  of  war,  than  if  we  could  burn  half  the  towns  in 
France,  and  slay,  without  loss  to  ourselves,  one  or  two  hun- 
dred thousand  fighting  men.”  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  these 
fond  romantic  wishes,  though  tried,  could  not  be  realized  ; 
some  of  the  stone  vessels  sunk  even  before  they  had  reach- 
ed the  place  of  their  destination  ! The  ridicule  expressed 
in  the  French  papers  on  this  occasion,  though  uncommonly 
poignant,  can  scarcely  be  supposed  to  have  been  extravagant 
or  misplaced.  But  the  political  hemisphere,  in  the  month 
of  April,  1804,  was  not  less  changeable  than  the  natural  one  : 
the  respectable  Mr.  Addington,  as  he  had  been  termed  by 
the  first  consul,  was  set  aside,  and  a new  minister  appoint- 
ed, without  the  least  expression  of  a wish,  either  in  king 
or  people,  that  any  change  should  take  place  ; while  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


459 


new  minister  was  the  very  person  whose  dismission  from 
the  cabinet,  only  two  years  before,  by  the  king,  was  recei- 
ved with  general  approbation  by  the  people  ! The  peers, 
in  particular,  by  their  divisions  in  the  house,  shewed  that 
they  were  determined  to  compel  Mr.  Addington  to  with- 
draw ; a similar  division  in  the  commons  persuaded  him 
to  resign  his  post  and  avoid  the  disgrace  of  being  turned 
out.  But  as  the  cry  of  the  war  party  was  for  a vigorous 
administration,  in  a very  few  days  they  were  highly7  gratified, 
by  its  being  generally  known  that  Mr.  Pitt  was  to  be  the 
prime  minister.  This  joyful,  or,  rather,  fatal  news,  was 
soon  followed  by  the  certainty  of  knowing,  that  lord  Mel- 
ville (the  well-known  Mr.  Dundas)  was  to  be  his  colleague, 
and  to  be  placed  at  the  head  of  the  admiralty.  Mr.  Ad- 
dington, however,  retired  from  office,  at  least,  with  the  char- 
acter of  integrity  and  a regard  for  his  country.  He  concil- 
iated all  parties  ; his  manners  were  neither  austere  nor  for- 
bidding : it  was  justly  said,  “He  opened  the  door  of  the 
prison,  he  suffered  justice  to  take  its  free  course  ; and  if  he 
did  not  do  every  thing  that  a wise  and  a good  man  might 
wish  for,  his  forbearance  to  continue  the  practices  which  dis- 
graced the  country,  under  his  predecessor,  must  entitle  him 
to  a very  considerable  degree  of  approbation  and  applause.” 
Of  the  old  ministry,  at  this  period,  lord  Hawkesbury  alone 
was  retained  ; lord  St.  Vincent,  left  the  admiralty  to  make 
room  for  Mr.  Dundas. 

But,  while  a change  was  taking  place  in  the  British  ad- 
ministration, one  much  more  important  was  meditated  in 
France.  The  first  consul,  on  his  accession  to  that  dignitv, 

' thought  it  necessary  to  have  it  established  by  the  suffrages  "of 
the  people  : but  this  form  was  no  longer  deemed  needful 
to  make  him  emperor ; because,  the  bodies,  under  the 
name  of  the  tribunate,  and  the  conservative  senate,  repre- 
sented to  him  the  necessity  of  his  taking  upon  himself  the 
imperial  title  : and  this  change  in  the  name  scarcely  excited 
a debate.  Carnot  only  opposed  the  assumption  of  the  title 
of  emperor,  upon  the  same  ground  as  he  resisted  the  mo- 
tion for  vesting  the  consular  power  in  Buonaparte,  du- 
ring life  ; but  Carnot’s  resistance  was  very  feeble  : and  this 
appearance  of  opposition,  served  rather  to  give  the  business 
the  form  of  a free  debate  than  otherwise.  In  fact,  it  was 
obvious,  at  that  time,  to  every  man  of  discernment,  that  it 


460 


THE  LIFE  04 


was  of  very  little  consequence  whether  the  sovereign  of 
France  should  be  addressed  by  the  name  of  first  consul  or 
that  of  emperor.  However,  on  the  5th  of  May,  the  tri- 
bunate, as  it  was  said,  exercising  the  right  given  them  by 
the  29th  article  of  the  constitution,  passed  the  following 
vote  : 

“ That  Napoleon  Buonaparte,  the  first  consul,  be  proclaim- 
ed emperor  of  the  French,  and,  in  that  capacity,  be  in- 
vested with  the  government  of  the  French  republic. 

i hat  the  title  of  emperor,  and  the  imperial  power,  be 
made  hereditary  in  his  family,  in  the  male  line,  according 
to  the  order  of  primogeniture. 

“ 1 hat,  in  introducing  into  the  organization  of  the  con- 
stituted authorities,  the  modifications  rendered  necessary  by 
the  establishment  of  hereditary  power,  the  equality,  the  lib- 
erty, and  the  rights  of  the  people,  shall  be  preserved  in  all 
their  integrity.” 

Napoleon  being  too  great  a politician  to  suffer  the  act 
of  his  elevation  to  pass  simply  as  a civil  ceremony,  lost  iiq 
time  in  giving  it  all  the  effect  that  it  could  receive  from  the 
aid  of  the  religious  institutions.  His  new  dignity  was, 
therefore,  announced  to  the  French  bishops,  in  letters  of  a 
similar  tendency,  to  the  following,  addressed  to  the  arch- 
bishop of  Paris.  We  are  the  more  particular  in  noticing 
the  religious  promises  made  by  Napoleon,  on  this  ground  ; 
that,  probably,  there  never  yet  was  any  potentate  who  had 
been  able  to  realize  either  his  projects  or  his  promises,  in  a 
manner  equal  to  himself  : the  letter  alluded  to,  runs  thus  : 

“ Cousin,  the  happiness  of  the  French  has  always  been 
the  dearest  object  of  my  thoughts,  and  their  glory  that  of 
all  my  labours.  Called  by  Divine  Providence,  and  the  con- 
stitution of  the  republic,  to  the  imperial  power,  I see,  in 
this  new  order  of  things,  only  greater  means  of  assuring, 
both  at  home  and  abroad,  the  prosperity  and  dignity  of  the 
country.  I repose,  with  confidence,  in  the  powerful  suc- 
cour of  the  Most  High.  He  will  inspire  his  ministers  with 
the  desire  of  seconding  me  by  all  the  means  in  their  power. 
They  will  enlighten  the  people  by  instruction,  in  preaching 
to  them  the  love  of  their  duties,  obedience  to  the  laws,  and 
the  practice  of  all  the  Christian  and  civil  virtues.  They 
will  call  down  the  benedictions  of  Heaven,  upon  the  na- 
tion, and  upon  the  supreme  chief  of  the  state.  I write  you 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


461 


this  letter,  that,  as  soon  as  you  have  received  it,  you  will 

! cause  Veni  Creator  and  Te  Deum,  to  be  sung  in  all  the 
churches  of  your  diocese,  &c.  &. c.” 

Another  circular,  also,  enjoined  the  clergy  to  make  use 
of  the  following  form  of  prayer,  which  had  already  been 
used  in  the  imperial  chapel. 

“ O God,  the  protector  of  all  kingdoms,  and  especially 
of  the  French  empire,  grant  unto  thy  servant  Napoleon,  our 

I emperor,  that  he  may  know,  and  further  the  wonders  of 
thy  power,  to  the  end  that  he,  whom  thou  hast  appointed 
our  sovereign,  may  be  always  powerful  through  thy  grace.” 
On  the  28th  of  May,  this  event  was  officially  announced 
by  the  French  charge  d'affaires,  to  the  diet  at  Ratisbon,  and 
a similar  notification  was  made  to  the  several  foreign  courts. 

Regulations  for  the  coronation,  were  also  laid  down  by 
an  imperial  decree,  dated  from  the  palace  of  St.  Cloud,  Ju- 
ly 9th. 

This  ceremony  was  then^ppointed  to  take  place  in  the 
month  of  November  following,  (the  18th  Brumaire,)  and 
certain  of  the  public  functionaries,  from  the  several  depart- 
ments, together  with  detachments  from  the  different  milita- 
ry corps,  were  summoned  to  attend  at  Paris  on  the  occasion  : 
but  the  new  emperor,  and  his  court,  were  soon  called  off 
by  different  circumstances,  from  the  enjoyment  of  these 
high  and  dazzling  dignities.  These  new  honours,  it  seems, 
before  they  were  to  be  worn,  were  again  to  be  won  in  the  field. 
If  the  duke  d’Enghien  was  dead,  his  advocates  w'ere  alive  and 
active.  Hitherto,  it  had  been  rumoured,  that  the  territory  of 
the  elector  of  Baden,  had  been  violated  in  the  most  indecorous 
manner  ; and  that  the  duke  d’Enghien,  had  been  taken  in 
the  territory  of  Baden,  and  carried  off  by  surprize  ; but 
when  this  matter  came  to  be  investigated,  it  appeared,  that 
notwithstanding  the  complaint  this  prince  sent  to  his  son- 
in-law,  the  emperor  of  Russia,  he  might,  in  the  first  place, 
have  arrested  the  emigrants  atEttenheim,  or,  if  he  had  cho- 
sen so  to  do,  apprized  the  duke  of  his  danger,  and  prevent- 
ed his  falling  into  the  hands  af  the  French.  In  fact,  it  ap- 
peared, that  the  elector  of  Baden,  received  the  following 
letter  from  M.  Talleyrand,  dated  March  10,  addressed  to 
his  minister,  baron  Edelsheim,  of  which  M.  de  Caulincourt, 
was  the  bearer. 

Sir — I had  formerly  sent  you  a note,  the  purport  of 


462 


THE  LIFE  OF 


which  was,  to  request  the  arrest  of  the  French  emigrants  who 
were  assembled  at  Offenbourg;  as  the  first  consul,  from  suc- 
cessive arrests  of  the  banditti,  which  the  English  govern- 
ment has  sent  to  France,  and  from  the  result  of  the  trials 
which  have  been  instituted,  has  obtained  a complete  know- 
ledge of  the  extensive  part  which  the  English  agents  at  Of- 
fenbourg have  had  in  those  horrible  plots,  which  have  been 
devised  against  his  own  person,  and  against  the  safety  of 
France.  He  was,  at  the  same  time,  warned  that  the  duke 
d’Enghien,  and  general  Dumourier,  were  at  Ettenheim. 
As  it  is  impossible  that  they  should  be  in  that  city  without 
the  permission  of  his  electoral  highness,  the  first  consul, 
therefore,  could  not  see,  without  the  deepest  concern,  that 
a prince,  whom  he  had  distinguished  by  every  mark  of  friend- 
ship, should  give  an  asylum  to  the  most  determined  ene- 
mies of  France,  and  permit  them,  so  tranquilly,  to  project 
such  unprecedented  conspiracies.  From  these  extraordi- 
nary occurrences,  the  first  consul  has  found  it  necessary  to 
order  two  small  detachments  of  troops  to  repair  to  Offen- 
bourg and  Ettenheim,  to  seize  the  authors  of  a crime,  the 
nature  of  which  is  such,  as  to  place  those,  who  are  proved 
to  have  had  a share  in  it,  out  of  the  protection  of  the  law  of 
nations.  It  is  general  Caulincourt,  who  is  charged  with  the 
execution  of  these  orders  of  the  first  consul,  and  who,  there 
is  no  doubt,  will  employ  every  care  and  attention  in  fulfill- 
ing the  same,  which  his  electoral  highness  can  wish.  He 
will  have  the  honour  to  deliver  the  letter  which  I have  been 
directed  to  write.  M.  Talleyrand.” 


CHAPTER  XXVIII. 

The  supplies  of  the  island  of  St.  Domingo,  at  this, 
time  in  a state  of  revolution  and  revolt,  being  quite 
cut  off  by  the  British  cruisers,  the  French  troops,  pressed 
on  the  land  side  by  the  blacks,  were  compelled  to  surrender 
themselves  to  the  British  squadron,  and,  by  becoming- 
prisoners,  their  lives  were  secured  ; so  that  general  Roch- 
ambeau,  and  a number  of  his  officers,  were  taken  to  Eng- 
land. In  consequence  of  this  turn  of  success,  Dessalines, 
the  black  chief,  found  himself  strong  enough  to  issue  a 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


463 


proclamation  ; which,  for  boldness  of  language  and  brevity 
of  expression,  seemed  rather  the  production  of  France  than 
the  islands. 

Unfortunately  for  the  people  of  Hayti,  this  flaming  proc- 
lamation proved  little  more  than  an  empty  sound.  Dessa- 
lines  seemed  to  forget  that  he  had  not  yet  driven  the  Philis- 
tines quite  out  of  the  land  : the  Spaniards,  who  were  still 
in  the  French  interest,  remained  in  possession  of  the  city 
and  port  of  St.  Domingo  ; and  it  appeared  that  the  French 
troops,  which  afterwards  occupied  that  city,  under  general 
Ferrand,  were  too  powerful,  and  too  well  skilled  in  the  arts 
of  annoyance  and  defence,  to  be  driven  out,  even  by  the 
sixty  thousand  warriors,  of  which  the  infuriated  Dessalines 
had  boasted.  He  also  addressed  a proclamation  to  the  Span- 
iards in  that  city,  and,  like  a mere  braggart,  talked  of  bu- 
rying the  French  they  had  with  them  under  the  ruins  of 
that  capital,  and  of  pursuing  them  to  their  intrenchments. 

Dessalines,  in  the  end,  proved  a worse  tyrant  than  his 
predecessors  : he  is  said  to  have  retorted  upon  the  Euro- 
peans by  an  universal  massacre  ; no  less  than  twenty-six 
thousand  whites  are  said  to  have  been  put  to  death  by  his 
order ! he  had,  also,  issued  orders,  denouncing  death 
against  any  of  his  subjects  who  should  marry,  or  even  keep, 
a white  woman  ! still,  if  some  few  were  left  alive,  they 
were  only  as  objects  for  gratifying  the  passions.  With  a 
view  also  to  enjoy  his  short-lived  dignity,  he  is  said  to  have 
coined  money,  established  a legion  of  honour,  and  styled 
himself  emperor  of  Hayti.  In  fact,  his  conduct,  both  cru- 
el and  absurd,  gave  occasion  to  remark,  “ That,  in  pre- 
venting the  French  from  reducing  that  island,  the  English 
had  done  irreparable  injury  to  their  own  colonies.” 

Very  different  from  this  tyrant  was  the  more  humane,  but 
ill-fated,  Toussaint  L’Overture  ! We  have,  before,  related 
his  surrender  to,  and  seizure  by  general  Leclerc,  who  sent 
him  to  France.  On  this  occasion  a sensible  writer  ob- 
served : “ Toussaint  gave  himself  to  the  conqueror  of  Ma- 
rengo ; and  what  was  done  with  him,  God,  and  a few  con- 
fidential friends,  only  know  !” 

The  commencement  of  the  year  1805  was  distinguished 
by  a very  singular  trait  in  the  character  of  the  French  em- 
peror.— To  some  of  our  English  writers  this  action  appear- 
ed so  extraordinary,  that  they  doubted  whether  it  ought  to 


464 


THE  LIFE  OF 


H 


/ 


H 


be  characterized  by  the  peculiar  epithet  of  presumption , in- 
solence, or  folly:  in  fact,  he  had  the  termerity  to  address 
his  Britannic  majesty,  personally,  in  a letter  written  in  his 
own  hand  ; in  which  he  deprecated  the  further  continuance 
of  a war,  in  the  prosecution  of  which  so  much  useless  blood 
was  shed,  without  any  view  or  object  whatever : he  said 
“ he  thought  it  no  disgrace  to  take  the  first  step  towards 
conciliation  in  a moment  which  afforded  the  most  favoura- 
ble opportunity  to  silence  the  passions  and  listen  only  to  the 
sentiments  of  humanity  and  reason.  He  adjured  his  ma- 
jesty not  to  deny  himself  the  pleasure  of  giving  peace  to 
the  world,  nor  to  leave  that  delightful  task  to  his  children. 
He  reminded  the  British  monarch,  that  the  latter  had  gained 
more,  in  the  last  ten  years,  both  in  territory  and  riches, 
than  the  whole  extent  of  Europe  ; that  his  country  was  at 
the  highest  pitch  of  prosperity,  and  could  only  hope  to  form 
another  coalition  of  some  powers  upon  the  continent  against 
France  ; but  that  the  effect  of  such  a measure  would  be  to 
increase  the  preponderance  and  continental  greatness  of 
France  only.  Did  England  hope  to  renew  the  internal 
troubles  of  France,  or  destroy  her  finances,  or  deprive  her 
of  her  colonies  ? A war  would  produce  no  such  effects. 
The  French  were  happy  ; a flourishing  state  of  agriculture 
was  the  support  of  their  finances,  and  the  colonies  were  but 
a secondary  object : besides,  had  not  the  king  of  England, 
at  that  moment,  more  than  he  knew  how  to  preserve  ?” 
(After  some  reasoning,  of  a similar  cast,  this  document 
concludes  with  the  following  words  :)  “ I;  your  majesty 

would  but  reflect,  you  must  perceive  that  the  war  is  without 
an  object  and  without  any  presumable  result  to  yourself  ! 
Alas  ! what  a melancholy  prospect ! to  cause  two  nations  to 
fight  only  for  the  sake  of  fighting  ! The  world  is  suffi- 
ciently capacious  for  our  two  nations  to  exist  in  it  ; and 
reason  is  sufficiently  powerful  to  discover  means  of  recon- 
ciling every  thing,  when  the  wish  for  reconciliation  exists 
on  both  sides.  I have,  however,  fulfilled  a sacred  duty, 
and  one  which  is  precious  to  my  heart.”  “ Peace,”  he  al- 
so observed,  “ was  his  first  wish,  though  war  had  never 
been  inconsistent  with  his  sdorv.  He  thought  there  never 
was  a more  fortunate  opportunity  than  the  present  to  make 
peace:  this  moment  once  lost,  he  asked,  what  end  could 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


465 


be  assigned  to  a war,  which  all  his  efforts  would  not  be  able 
to  terminate.” 

To  this  pathetic  letter  the  following  cold,  systematic  an- 
swer was  returned  ; not  from  the  hand  of  the  monarch,  but 
from  lord  Mulg'rave,  secretary  of  state  for  foreign  affairs; 
dated  14-th  January,  1805,  and  addressed  to  M Talleyrand: 

“ His  Britannic  majesty  has  received  the  letter  which  has 
been  addressed  to  him  by  the  head  of  the  French  govern- 
ment, dated  the  second  of  the  present  month.  There  is  no 
object  which  his  majesty  has  more  at  heart,  than  to  avail 
himself  of  the  first  opportunity  to  procure  again  for  his  sub- 
jects the  advantages  of  a peace,  founded  on  bases  which 
may  not  be  incompatible  with  the  permanent  security  and 
essential  interests  of  his  dominions  : his  majesty  is  persuad- 
ed that  this  end  can  only  be  attained  by  arrangements  which 
may,  at  the  same  time,  provide  for  the  future  safety  and 
tranquillity  of  Europe,  and  prevent  the  recurrence  of  the 
dangers  and  calamities  in  which  it  is  involved.  Conform- 
ably to  this  sentiment,  his  m jesty  feels  it  impossible  for 
him  to  answer  more  particularly  to  the  overture  that  has 
been  made  him,  till  he  has  time  to  communicate  with  the 
powers  on  the  continent,  with  whom  he  is  engaged  in  con- 
fidential connexions  and  relations  ; and,  particularly,  the 
emperor  of  Russia,  who  has  given  the  strongest  proofs  of  the 
wisdom  and  elevation  of  the  sentiments  with  which  he  is  an- 
imated, and  the  lively  interest  which  he  takes  in  the  safety 
and  independence  of  the  continent.  Mulgrave.” 

Notwithstanding  the  state  of  affairs  between  England  and 
France  had  determined  Buonaparte  to  take  vigorous  meas- 
ures, he  found  it  necessary  to  attend  to  the  disturbances 
which  were  occasioned  by  Austria,  Russia  and  Sweden. 

On  the  23d  of  September,  addressing  the  senate  at  Paris, 
he  said,  he  felt  it  an  urgent  duty  to  appear  among  them,  and 
make  them  fully  acquainted  with  his  sentiments.  “ I am,” 
said  he,  “just  leaving  my  capital,  to  place  myself  at  the 
head  of  the  army,  to  carry  speedy  succours  to  my  allies. 
I tremble  at  the  idea  of  the  blood  that  must  be  spilt  in  Eu- 
rope, but  the  French  name  will  emerge  with  renovated  and 
increased  lustre.  What  promises  I have  made  to  the  French 
people  I have  fulfilled,  and  the  French  people  have  more  than 
performed  every  en  agement  they  have  made  with  me. 
They  will,  at  a moment  so  important  for  their  glorv  and 

59 


466 


THE  LTFE  OF 


mine,  persist  in  asserting  the  name  of  the  Great  People  ; a 
name  with  which  I greeted  them  in  the  midst  of  the  fields 
of  death  and  glory.”  He  concluded  in  these  words : 
“ Frenchmen  ! your  emperor  will  discharge  his  duty  ; my 
soldiers,  and  the  senate,  will  also  discharge  theirs.”  It  is 
scarcely  too  much  to  assert,  that  no  monarch  or  general 
was  ever  better  seconded  in  the  field,  than  Napoleon  was 
after,  as  well  as  before,  he  made  this  declaration.  This 
effectual  aid  was  quite  contrary  to  the  expectation  of  the 
English  and  their  allies,  who  vainly  imagined  the  French 
people  would  have  been  disheartened  at  the  prospect  of  a 
fresh  war,  and  such  a formidable  coalition,  as  the  united 
forces  of  Great  Britain,  Sweden,  Russia,  and  Austria,  could 
not  fail  to  present.  Some  of  the  means  that  produced  such 
an  uncommon  share  of  public  spirit  among  the  French  peo- 
ple it  will  be  our  province  to  notice  hereafter,  in  conse- 
quence of  those  hostilities,  which  put  that  public  spirit  to 
a proof  so  severe  and  difficult,  as  to  have  but  few  examples 
in  history.  The  means  we  allude  to,  are  those  that  always 
distinguish  the  great  statesman  as  well  as  the  warrior. 
Though  engaged  in  preparations  for  a most  formidable  cam- 
paign, it  will  appear  that  the  autumn  of  1805  was  distin- 
guished by  an  act  of  toleration  in  behalf  of  the  poor  Vau- 
dois,  or  Walaenses,  who  had  been  the  constant  objects  of 
persecution,  with  all  the  preceding  monarchs  of  France. 
The  lail  of  the  latter,  though  it  introduced  a new  order  of 
things,  more  favourable  to  religious  liberty  than  any  that 
ever  existed  before,  since  the  popes  exercised  their  usur- 
pations over  churches  and  kingdoms  upon  the  continent, 
was,  nevertheless,  deplored  by  some  who  call  themseives 
protestants  ! the  subjects,  too,  of  a kingdom  which  lays  a 
claim  to  being  thought  one  of  the  most  enlightened  in  the 
world,  and  always  professes  to  be  governed  by  a “ most  re- 
ligious and  gracious  king  /” 

i lie  French  army,  estimated  at  about  140,000  men,  had 
in  a short  time,  made  very  rapid  advances  towards  the 
scene  of  action  ; it  moved  in  six  divisions  ; the  first  corps, 
un  er  marshal  Bernadotte,  commenced  its  route  from  Han- 
over about  the  same  time  that  the  army  set  out  from  Bou- 
logne, and  reached  Wurtzburg,  in  Franconia,  on  the  23d  of 
September,  by  the  route  of  Gottingen  and  Francfort.  Gen- 
eral iViarmont  proceeded  from  Holland  to  Mentz,  at  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


467 


head  of  the  second  corps,  and  passed  the  Rhine  at  Cassel ; 
and  the  third  corps,  under  marshal  Davoust,  passed  the 
Rhine  on  the  26th,  at  Manheim,  and  advanced  by  Heidel- 
berg and  Neckar  Eltz,  on  the  Neckar.  The  fourth  corps, 
under  marshal  Soult,  passed  the  Rhine  on  the  same  day,  by 
a bridge  thrown  over  at  Spires,  and  advanced  towards  Heil- 
brun  on  the  Neckar.  Marshal  Ney,  with  the  fifth  division, 
likewise  crossed  that  river,  by  a flying  bridge,  opposite  Dur- 
lach,  and  marched  towards  Stutgard.  The  sixth  corps, 
commanded  by  marshal  Lannes,  passed  the  Rhine  on  the 
25th,  at  Kehl,  and  advanced  towards  Louisburgh.  Prince 
Murat,  with  the  reserve  of  the  cavalry,  passed  the  Rhine  at 
Kehl,  and  took  a position,  in  which  he  remained  several  days, 
before  the  defiles  of  the  Biack  Forest ; as  it  were  to  make  the 
Austrians  believe  the  French  army  meant  to  take  that  route. 
On  the  30th  of  September  the  great  park  of  artillery  pass- 
ed the  Rhine  at  Kehl,  and  advanced  towards  Heilbrun. 

The  Austrian  army,  consisting  of  near  90,000  men, 
under  general  Mack,  had  advanced  to  the  defiles  of  the 
Biack  Forest,  apparently  with  the  intention  of  preventing 
the  French  army  from  penetrating  those  defiles.  They  had 
thrown  up  fortifications  on  the  river  Jller,  and  were  strength- 
ening Memmingen  and  Ulm  ; but  all  these  precautionary 
measures  were  of  little  avail,  as  the  French  armies  had  ta- 
ken another  route,  which  the  Austrians  never  suspected,  and 
were  already  in  their  rear.  It  seems  that  a division,  belong- 
ing to  marshal  Soult,  had,  by  means  of  a forced  march,  got 
possession  of  a bridge  at  Donawert,  defended  by  the  Aus- 
trian regiment  of  Colleredo,  and  with  the  loss  of  only  a few 
men.  By  day-break  the  next  morning  Murat  arrived  there 
also  with  the  French  cavalry ; and,  having  passed  the  bridge, 
he  caused  it  to  be  repaired  ; when,  in  conjunction  with  the 
rest  of  the  cavalry,  under  general  Walther,  he  passed  it,  and 
advanced  towards  the  Lech,  where  he  forced  the  enemy, 
there  posted,  to  retreat  ; Murat  remained  that  night  at 
Rain.  On  the  6th,  marshal  Soult,  with  the  two  divisions  of 
general  Vandamme  and  Legrand,  marched  towards  Augs- 
burgh,  while  general  St.  Helaire,  with  his  division,  advan- 
ced to  the  same  point,  by  the  left  bank  of  the  Danube.  On 
the  same  morning,  prince  Murat,  at  the  head  of  several 
divisions  of  cavalry,  arrived  at  Wertingen,  in  order  to  cut 
off  the  communication  between  Ulm  and  Augsburg  ; here 


468 


THE  LIFE  OF 


he  encountered  a considerable  body  of  the  enemy’s  infantry, 
supported  by  four  squadrons  of  Alber’s  cuirassiers.  Mar- 
shal Lannes,  who,  with  Oudinot’s  division,  had  followed 
these  corps,  succeeded  in  defeating  and  making  a part  of 
this  portion  of  the  Austrian  army  prisoners,  together  with 
their  artillery  and  baggage.  The  Austrians  on  this  occa- 
sion lost  eight  standards,  the  whole  of  their  cannon,  a num- 
ber of  officers,  and  4,000  men,  rank  and  file. 

This  war  was  full  of  great  and  splendid  achievements,  in 
which  the  whole  of  Europe  was  deeply  interested,  and  the 
whole  world  an  anxious  spectator.  Among  the  many  tre- 
mendous engagements  and  battles  may  be  mentioned  as  per- 
haps most  memorable,  that  at  Austerlitz  on  land,  and  that 
off  cape  Trafalgar,  in  which  the  distinguished  admiral  Nel- 
son fell,  Oct.  21,  1805. 

From  the  time  of  the  battle  of  Trafalgar,  there  was  al- 
most incessant  fighting  in  various  parts  of  Europe.  A 
very  interesting  volume  might  be  filled  with  the  account  of 
the  war  in  Spain.  The  king  Ferdinand  7th  had  been  com- 
pelled to  give  way  to  Joseph  Buonaparte,  the  brother  of  the 
emperor,  who  was  placed  on  the  throne  of  Spain,  not  long, 
however,  to  enjoy  his  honours. 

The  year  1810  had  been  distinguished  by  the  divorce  of 
the  empress  Josephine,  the  lawful  wife  of  Napoleon,  on  the 
ground  that  there  was  no  expectation  of  an  heir  from  her, 
for  the  throne  of  France.  In  April  of  this  year,  an  alliance 
of  marriage  was  formed  by  him  with  the  princess  Marie 
Louisa  of  Austria.  The  archduke  Charles,  who  had  led  the 
Austrian  forces  with  great  skill  and  bravery  in  several  en- 
gagements with  the  French,  acted  as  the  proxy  of  the  em- 
peror in  this  marriage.  This  connexion  brought  the  French 
and  Austrian  courts  near  together,  and  had,  no  doubt,  con- 
siderable influence  on  the  emperor  of  Austria,  in  the  impor- 
tant subsequent  events  of  the  wars  of  Europe. 

The  war  in  Spain  continued  with  great  severity,  till  the 
summer  of  1813,  when  was  fought  the  great  battle  of  Vit- 
toria,  in  which  the  combined  army  of  England  and  Spain, 
under  lord  Wellington,  defeated  the  French  forces  under 
Joseph  Buonaparte  and  marshal  Jourdan,  and  drove  them 
into  France. 

The  war  of  the  peninsula  exhibited  numerous  proofs  of 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


469 


valour  and  patriotism  on  the  part  of  Spain  and  Britain, 
which  have  not  often  found  parallels. 

While  war  was  raging  in  the  south  of  Europe,  the  north 
was  not  in  less  convulsion. 

In  1812,  Napoleon  resolved  upon  leading  his  troops  into 
Russia,  a determination  which  furnished  a complete  evidence 
of  his  daring  character,  and  resulted  in  his  overthrow. 

The  Russians  under  the  wise  and  prudent  management 
of  their  monarch,  Alexander,  acting  on  the  Fabian  system, 
allowed  the  invaders  to  penetrate  into  their  country,  till 
finally  rising  in  the  majesty  of  a great  people,  they  sacri- 
ficed the  immense  city  of  Moscow,  where  the  French  had 
expected  to  winter.  This  measure  was  the  worst  kind  of  de- 
feat to  Buonaparte  ; he  saw  in  it  the  ruin  of  his  undertakings, 
and  leaving  his  troops  fled  with  the  utmost  precipitation,  and 
as  a private  character,  back  to  Paris,  leaving  an  immense 
army  to  be  wasted,  beaten  and  destroyed. 

The  loss  of  the  French  here  was  estimated  at  204,400 
killed,  besides  more  than  2,000  officers.  Upwards  of 
230,000  prisoners  were  taken,  and  the  sufferings  of  the 
French  were  beyond  expression,  terrible.  It  is  said  that 
in  the  neighbourhood  of  Wilna,  53,000  bodies  had  been 
burned  to  prevent  contagion. 

Buonaparte  arrived  at  Paris,  at  midnight,  Dec.  18,  1812, 
and  after  remaining  there  till  April  following,  joined  the  ar- 
my again,  leaving  the  empress  Marie  Louisa  in  the  re- 
gency. 

Among  the  transactions  of  1813,  the  battles  in  and  about 
Leipzig  were  the  most  important  and  interesting.  The  fol- 
lowing account  from  an  eye  witness,  in  a letter  to  his  friend, 
cannot  fail  to  engage  the  attention  of  the  reader. 

Leipzig,  Nov.  3,  1813. 

DEAREST  FRIEND, 

You  here  see  how  ready  I am  to  gratify  your  desire  of 
knowing  every  thing  that  passed  in  my  neighbourhood  and 
that  befell  myself  in  the  eventful  days  of  October.  I pro- 
ceed to  the  point  without  farther  preamble. 

Ever  since  the  arrival  of  marshal  Marmont  I have  con- 
stantly resided  at  the  beautiful  country-house  of  my  employ- 
er at  R***,  where  I imagined  that  I might  be  of  some 
service  during  the  impending  events.  The  general  of 


470 


THE  LIFE  OF 


brigade  Chamois,  an  honest  man,  but  a severe  officer,  was 
at  first  quartered  there. 

On  the  14th  of  October  every  body  expected  a general 
engagement  near  Leipzig.  On  that  day  several  French 
corps  had  arrived  in  the  neighbourhood.  The  near  thun- 
ders of  the  artillery,  which  began  to  roll,  and  the  repeated 
assurances  of  the  French  officers  that  the  anniversary  of  tlie 
battles  of  Ulm  and  Jena  would  not  be  suffered  to  pass  un- 
celebrated, seemed  to  confirm  this  expectation.  The  king 
of  Saxony  entered  by  the  palisadoed  gates  of  the  outer  city, 
and  Napoleon  also  soon  arrived.  The  latter  came  from 
Duben,  and  took  possession  of  a bivouac  in  the  open  field, 
not  far  from  the  gallows,  close  to  a great  watch-fire.  I was 
one  of  those  who  hastened  to  the  spot,  to  obtain  a sight  of 
the  extraordinary  man,  little  suspecting  that  a still  greater 
honour  awaited  me,  namely,  that  of  sleeping  under  the  same 
roof,  nav,  even  of  being  admitted  to  a personal  interview  of 
some  length  with  him.  The  state  of  things  at  my  country- 
house  did  not  permit  me  to  be  long  absent.  I hastened 
back,  therefore,  with  all  possible  expedition.  I arrived 
nearly  at  the  same  moment  with  a French  marechal  de  logis 
du  palais , to  whom  I was  obliged  to  shew  every  apartment 
in  the  house,  and  who,  to  my  no  small  dismay,  announced 
“ that  the  emperor  would  probably  lodge  there  that  night.” 
The  man,  having  dispatched  his  errand  in  great  haste,  im- 
mediately departed.  1 communicated  the  unexpected  in- 
telligence to  the  aid-de-camp  of  general  Pajol,  but  expressly 
observed  that  I had  great  doubts  about  it,  as  the  marechal 
de  logis  himself  had  not  spoken  positively.  The  aid-de- 
camp  appeared  very  uneasy ; and,  though  I strove  to  con- 
vince him  that  it  must  be  some  time  before  our  distinguish- 
ed guest  could  arrive,  he  immediately  packed  up,  and,  not- 
withstanding all  my  earnest  endeavours  to  detain  him,  he 
was  gone  with  his  servant  in  a few  minutes.  Seldom  have 
I witnessed  such  an  extraordinary  degree  of  anxiety  as  this 
man  shewed  while  preparing  for  his  departure. 

The  marechal  de  logis  soon  returned,  and  again  inspected 
all  the  apartments,  and  even  the  smallest  closets,  more  mi- 
nutely than  before.  He  announced  that  sa  majeste  would 
certainly  take  up  his  head-quarters  here,  and  asked  for  a 
piece  of  chalk,  to  mark  each  room  with  the  names  of  the 
distinguished  personages  by  whom  they  were  to  be  occu- 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


471 


pied.  When  he  had  shewn  me  the  apartment  destined  for 
the  emperor,  he  desired  that  a fire  might  be  immediately 
lighted  in  it,  as  his  majesty  was  very  fond  of  warmth.  The 
bustle  soon  began  ; the  guards  appeared,  and  occupied  the 
house  and  all  the  avenues.  Many  officers  of  rank,  with 
nunferous  attendants,  arrived  ; and  six  of  the  emperor’s 
cooks  were  soon  busily  engaged  in  the  kitchen.  Thus  I 
was  soon  surrounded  on  all  sides  with  imperial  splendour, 
and  might  consider  myself  for  the  moment  as  its  centre.  I 
might  possibly  have  felt  no  small  degree  of  vanity  on  the 
occasion,  had  I not  been  every  instant  reminded  that  the 
part  which  I should  have  to  act  would  be  that  of  obedience 
alone.  I heard  the  beating  or  drums  at  a distance,  which, 
as  I presently  learned,  announced  that  I was  shortly  to  de- 
scend into  a very  subordinate  station.  It  proclaimed  the 
arrival  of  the  emperor,  who  came  on  horseback  in  a grey 
surtout.  Behind  him  rode  the  duke  of  Vicenza,  (Caulin- 
court,)  who,  since  the  death  of  marshal  Duroc,  has  suc- 
ceeded to  his  office.  When  they  had  come  up  to  the  house, 
the  master  of  the  horse  sprung  from  his  steed  with  a light- 
ness and  agility  which  I should  not  have  expected  in  such  a 
raw-boned,  stiff-looking  gentleman,  and  immediately  held 
that  of  the  emperor. 

His  majesty  had  scarcely  reached  his  apartments  when  I 
was  hastily  sought  and  called  for.  You  may  easily  con- 
ceive my  astonishment  and  perturbation  when  I was  told 
that  the  emperor  desired  to  speak  with  me  immediately. 
Now,  in  such  a state  of  things,  I had  not  once  thought  for 
several  days  of  putting  on  my  Sunday  clothes  ; but,  to  say 
nothing  of  this,  my  mind  was  still  less  prepared  for  an  in- 
terview with  a hero,  the  mere  sight  of  whom  was  enough  to 
bow  me  down  to  the  very  ground.  In  this  emergency  cour- 
age alone  could  be  of  any  service,  and  I rallied  my  spirits 
as  well  as  the  short  notice  would  permit.  1 had  done  no- 
thing amiss — at  least  that  I knew  of — and  had  performed 
my  duty  as  maitre  d'hotel  to  the  best  of  mv  ability.  After 
«a  general  had  taken  charge  of  me,  I mustered  my  whole 
stock  of  rhetorical  flourishes,  best  calculated  to  win  the  fa- 
vour of  a mighty  emperor.  The  general  conducted  me 
through  a crowd  of  aids-de-camp  and  officers  of  all  ranks. 
They  took  but  little  notice  of  such  an  insignificant  being, 
and  indeed  scarcely  deigned  to  bestow  a look  upon  me. 


472 


THE  LIFE  OF 


My  conductor  opened  the  door,  and  I entered  with  a heart 
throbbing  violently.  The  emperor  had  pulled  off  his  sur- 
tout,  and  had  no  body  with  him.  On  the  long  table  was 
spread  a map  of  prodigious  size.  Rustan,  the  Mameluke, 
who  lias  so  long  been  falsely  reported  to  be  dead,  was,  as  I 
afterwards  learned,  in  the  next  room.  My  presende  of 
mind  was  all  gone  again  when  I came  tp  be  introduced 
to  the  emperor  ; and  he  must  certainly  have  perceived  by 
my  looks  that  I was  not  a little  confused.  I was  just  going 
to  begin  the  harangue  which  I had  studied  with  such  pains, 
and  to  stammer  out  something  or  other  about  the  high  and 
unexpected  felicity  of  being  presented  to  the  most  power- 
ful, the  most  celebrated,  and  the  most  sincerely  beloved 
monarch  in  the  world,  when  he  relieved  me  at  once  from 
my  dilemma.  He  addressed  me  in  French,  speaking 
very  quick,  but  distinctly,  to  the  following  effect : 

Nap.  Are  you  the  master  of  this  house  ? 

I.  No,  please  your  majesty,  only  a servant. 

jY.  Where  is  the  owner  ? 

I.  He  is  in  the  city.  He  is  advanced  in  years  ; and  un- 
der the  present  circumstances  has  quitted  his  house,  leav 
ing  me  to  take  care  of  it  as  well  as  I can. 

N.  What  is  your  master  ? 

1.  He  is  in  business,  sire. 

JV.  In  what  line  ? 

I.  He  is  a banker. 

JV.  ( Laughing.  J Oho ! then  he  is  worth  a plum,  ( un 

millionaire  J 1 suppose  ? 

I.  Begging  your  majesty’s  pardon,  indeed  he  is  not. 

JV.  Well  then,  perhaps  he  may  be  worth  two  ? 

I.  Would  to  God  I could  answer  your  majesty  in  the 
affirmative. 

JY.  You  lend  money,  I presume? 

I.  Formerly  we  did,  sire ; but  now  we  are  glad  to  borrow. 

JY.  Yes,  yes,  1 dare  say  you  do  a little  in  that  way  yet. 
What  interest  do  you  charge  ? 

1.  We  used  to  charge  from  4 to  5 per  cent ; now  we 
would  willingly  give  from  8 to  10. 

JY.  To  whom  were  you  used  to  lend  money  ? 

1.  To  inlerior  tradesmen  and  manufacturers 

JY.  You  discount  bids  too,  I suppose  9 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


473 


I.  Formerly,  sire,  we  did;  now  we  can  neither  discount 
nor  get  any  discounted. 

JV.  How  is  business  with  you  ? 

I.  At  present,  your  majesty,  there  is  none  doing. 

JV.  How  so  ? 

L Because  all  trade  is  totally  at  a stand. 

.Y.  But  have  you  not  your  fair  just  now  ? 

I.  Yes,  but  it  is  so  only  in  name. 

JV.  Why? 

I.  As  all  communication  has  for  a considerable  time  been 
suspended,  and  the  roads  are  unsafe  for  goods,  neither  sel- 
lers nor  buyers  will  run  the  risk  of  coming  ; and,  besides, 
the  greatest  scarcity  of  money  prevails  in  this  country. 

JV.  (Taking  much  snuff. J So,  so  ! What  is  the  name 
of  your  employer  ? 

I mentioned  his  name. 

JV.  Is  he  married  ? 

I.  Yes,  sire.  _ 

JV.  Has  he  any  children  ? 

1.  He  has,  and  they  are  married  too. 

JV.  In  what  capacity  we  you  employed  byr  him  ? 

I.  As  a clerk. 

JV.  Then  you  hare  a cashier  too,  I suppose  ? 

I.  Yes,  sire,  ary  our  service. 

JV  What  wages  do  you  receive  ? 

I mentioned  a sum  that  I thought  fit. 

He  now  motioned  with  his  hand,  and  I retired  with  a low 
bow.  During  the  whole  conversation  the  emperor  was  in 
very  good  humour,  laughed  frequently,  and  took  a great 
deal  or  snuff.  After  the  interview,  on  coming  out  of  the 
roem,  I appeared  a totally  different  and  highly  important 
person  to  all  those  who  a quarter  of  an  hour  before  had  not 
deigned  to  take  the  slightest  notice  of  me.  Both  officers 
and  domestics  now  shewed  me  the  greatest  respect.  The 
emperor  lodged  in  the  first  floor ; his  favourite  Mameluke, 
an  uncommonly  handsome  man,  was  constantly  about  his 
person.  The  second  floor  was  occupied  by  the  prince  of 
Neufchatel,  who  had  a very  sickly  appearance,  and  the 
duke  of  Bassano, .the  emperor’s  secretary.  On  the  ground 
floor  a front  room  was  converted  into  a sallon  au  service . 
Here  were  marshals  Oudinot,  Mortier,  Ney,  Reynicr,  with 
a great  number  of  generals,  aids-de-camp,  and  other  offi- 

60 


474 


THE  LIFE  OF 


cers  in  waiting,  who  lay  at  night  upon  straw,  crowded  as 
close  as  herrings  in  a barrel.  In  the  left  wing  lodged  the 
duke  of  Vicenza,  master  of  the  horse  ; and  above  him  the 
physician  to  the  emperor,  whose  name,  I think,  was  M. 
Yvan.  The  right  wing  was  occupied  by  the  ojficiers  du 
palais.  The  smallest  room  was  turned  into  the  bed-cham- 
ber of  a general ; and  every  corner  was  so  filled,  tha&the 
servants  and  other  attendants  were  obliged  to  sleep  on  the 
kitchen  floor.  Upon  my  remonstrance  to  the  valet  of  the 
merechal  du  palais  I was  allowed  to  keep  a small  apartment 
for  my  own  use,  and  thought  to  guard  myself  against  un- 
welcome intruders  by  inscribing  with  chalk  my  high  rank 
— maitre  de  la  maison— in  large  letters  upon  the  door.  At 
first  the  new-comers  passed  respectfully  before  my  little  cell, 
and  durst  scarcely  venture  to  peep  in  at  the  door  ; but  it 
was  not  long  before  French  curiosity  overleaped  this  written 
barrier.  For  some  time  this  place  served  my  people  and 
several  neighbours  in  the  village  as  a protecting  asylum  at 
night. 

The  keys  of  the  hay-loft  and  barns  I was  commanded  to 
deliver  to  the  emperor’s  piqueur.  I earnestly  entreated  him 
to  be  as  sparing  of  our  stores  as  possible,  supporting  this 
request  with  a bottle  of  wine — which,  under  the  present  cir- 
cumstance, was  no  contemptible  present,  He  knew  how 

to  appreciate  it,  and  immediately  gave  a proof  of  his 

gratitude.  Fie  took  me  aside,  and  whispered  in  my  ear,. 
“ As  long  as  the  emperor  is  here  you  are  safe  ; but  the  mo- 
ment he  is  gone — and  nobody  can  tell  how  soon  that  may- 
be— you  w’iil  be  completely  stripped  by  the  guards;  the 
officers  themselves  will  then  shew  no  mercy.  You  had 
best  endeavour  to  obtain  a safeguard,  for  which  you  must 
apply  to  the  duke  of  Vicenza.” 

This  advice  was  not  thrown  away  upon  me  : I immedi- 
ately begged  to  speak  with  the  grand  ecayer.  I explained 
my  business  as  delicately  as  possible,  and  he  with  great  good 
humour  promised  to  comply  with  my  request.  Determin- 
ed to  strike  while  the  iron  was  hot,  I soon  afterwards  re- 
peated my  application  in  writing. 

After  the  emperor’s  arrival  there  was  no  such  thing  as  a 
moment’s  rest  for  me.  Giadiy  would  I have  exchanged  my- 
high  function,  which  placed  me  upon  an  equal  footing  with 
the  flrst  officers  of  the  French  court,  for  a night’s  tranquil 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


475 


slumber.  M maitre  de  la  maison  was  every  moment  call- 
ed for.  As  for  shaving1,  changing  linen,  brushing  clothes — - 
that  was  quite  out  of  the  question.  His  guests  had  re- 
marked his  good  will,  and  they  imagined  that  his  ability 
was  capable  of  keeping  pace  with  it.  Luckily  it  never 
castle  into  my  head,  whilst  invested  with  my  high  dignity, 
to  look  into  a glass,  otherwise  I should  certainly  not  have 
known  myself  again,  and  Diogenes  would  have  appeared  a 
beau  in  comparison.  As  to  danger  of  iife,  or  personal  ill- 
treatment,  I was  under  no  apprehension  ; for  who  would 
have  presumed  to  lay  hands  on  so  important  a personage 
who  was  every  moment  wanted,  and  whose  place  it  would 
have  been  absolutely  impossible  to  supply  ? — I was  much 
less  concerned  about  all  this  than  about  the  means  of  sa- 
ving the  property  of  my  employer,  as  far  as  lay  in  my  pow- 
er. The  danger  of  having  every  thing  destroyed  was  very- 
great. 

The  French  guards  had  kindled  a large  fire  at  a small 
distance  from  the  house.  The  wind  being  high,  drove  not 
onlv  sparks  but  great  flakes  of  fire  towards  it.  The  whole 
court-yard  was  covered  with  straw,  which  was  liable  every 
moment  to  set  us  all  in  flames.  I represented  this  circum- 
stance to  an  officer  of  high  rank,  and  observed  that  the  em- 
peror himself  would  be  exposed  to  very  great  risk  ; on 
which  he  ordered  a grenadier  belonging  to  the  guards  to  go 
and  direct  it  to  be  put  out  immediately.  This  man,  an  ex- 
cessively grim  fellow,  refused  without  ceremony  to  carry 
the  order.  “ They  are  my  comrades,”  said  he  : “ it  is 

cold — they  must  have  a fire,  and  dare  not  go  too  far  off — - 
I cannot  desire  them  to  put  it  out.” — What  was  to  be  done  ? 
I bethought  myself  of  the  duke  of  Vicenza,  and  appli- 
ed directly  to  him.  My  representations  produced  the  de- 
sired effect.  He  gave  orders,  and  in  a quarter  of  an  hour 
the  fire  was  out.  I was  equally  fortunate  in  saving  a build- 
ing situated  near  the  house.  It  had  been  but  lately  con- 
structed and  fitted  up.  The  young  guard  were  on  the  point 
of  pulling  it  down,  with  the  intention  of  carrying  the  wood 
to  their  bivouacs.  Their  design  was  instantly  prevented, 
and  one  single  piece  of  timber  only  was  destroyed.  A 
guard  was  sent  to  the  place,  to  defend  it  from  all  farther  at- 
tacks. It  had  been  burned  down  only  last  summer,  through 
the  carelessness  of  some  French  dragoons. 


476 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Late  at  night  the  king  of  Naples  came  with  his  retinue 
from  Stotteritz.  He  was  attended  by  a black  Othello,  who 
seems  to  serve  him  in  the  same  capacity  as  Rustan  does  his 
brother-indaw  Napoleon. 

By  day-dreak  the  emperor  started  with  all  his  retinue, 
and  took  the  road  to  Wolkwitz.  The  king  of  Naples  had 
already  set  out  for  the  same  place.  All  was  quiet  during 
the  day,  and  towards  the  night  the  emperor  returned.  Sev- 
eral French  officers  had  asserted,  the  preceding  night,  that  a 
general  engagement  would  certainly  take  place  on  the  I5th. 
How  imperfectly  they  were  acquainted  with  the  state  of 
things,  I could  perceive  from  many  of  their  expressions. 
In  their  opinion  the  armies  of  the  allies  were  already  as  good 
as  annihilated.  By  the  emperor’s  masterly  manoeuvres, 
the  Russians  and  Swedes — the  latter,  by  the  bye,  had  not 
yet  come  up — were  according  to  them  completely  cut  off 
from  the  Austrians.  A courier  cle  Vcmpereur  was  honest 
enough  to  tell  me  plumply  that  they  had  done  nothing  all 
day  but  look  at  one  another,  but  that  there  would  be  so 
much  the  warmer  work  on  the  morrow. 

Very  early  indeed  on  the  morning  of  the  16th,  I remark- 
ed preparations  for  the  final  departure  of  the  emperor. 
The  maitre  d'hotcl  desired  a bill  of  the  provisions  furnished 
him.  I had  already  made  out  one,  but  that  would  not  do. 
It  was  necessary  that  the  articles  should  be  arranged  under 
particular  heads,  and  a distinct  account  of  each  given  in. 
I ran  short  of  time,  patience,  and  paper.  All  excuses  were 
unavailing,  and  there  was  no  time  to  be  lost.  I readily 
perceived  that  all  the  elegance  required  in  a merchant’s 
counting-house  would  not  be  expected  here,  and  according- 
ly dispensed  with  many  little  formalities.  I wrote  upon  the 
first  paper  that  came  to  hand,  and  my  bills  were  the  most 
miserable  scraps  that  ever  were  seen.  The  amount  was  im- 
mediately paid.  Finding  that  the  maitre  d'hotel  had  not 
the  least  notion  that  it  would  be  but  reasonable  to  make 
some  remuneration  to  the  servants,  who  had  been  so  assid- 
uous in  their  attendance,  I was  uncivil  enough  to  remind 
him  of  it.  He  then  desired  me  to  give  him  a receipt  for 
200  francs,  which  I immediately  divided  among  the  domes- 
tics ; though  he  remarked  that  I ought  to  give  each  but 
three  or  four,  at  most.  I also  made  out  a distinct  account 
for  the  forage,  but  this  was  not  paid. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


477 


At  length  arrived  the  long  wished  for  sauvegarde.  It 
consisted  of  three  gens  d'armes  d' elite,  who  had  a written 
order  from  the  baron  de  Lennep,  ecuyer  to  the  emperor, 
by  virtue  of  which  they  were  to  defend  my  house  and 
property  from  all  depredations.  I immediately  took  a copy 
of  this  important  protection,  and  nailed  it  upon  the  door. 
The  house  was  gradually  evacuated  ; I was  soon  left  alone 
with  my  guards,  and  sincerely  rejoiced  that  Heaven  had 
sent  me  such  honest  fellows.  It  was  impossible,  indeed, 
to  be  quite  easy ; the  thunders  of  the  cannon  rolled  more 
and  more  awfully,  and  I had  frequent  visits  from  soldiers. 
My  brave  gens  cVarmes , however,  drove  them  all  away,  and 
I never  applied  in  vain  when  I besought  them  to  assist  a 
neighbour  in  distress.  I shewed  my  gratitude  as  far  as  lay 
in  my  power,  and  at  least  took  care  that  they  wanted  for 
nothing. 

One  of  these  three  men  went  into  the  city,  and  returned 
in  haste,  bringing  the  news  of  a great  victory.  “ Vive 
V empereur  /”  cried  he;  “la  bated  lie  est  gagneeV  When 
I enquired  the  particulars,  he  related,  in  the  most  confident 
manner,  that  an  Austrian  prince  had  been  taken,  with 
30,000  men,  and  that  they  were  already  singing  Te  Deum 
in  the  ’city.  This  story  seemed  extremely  improbable  to 
me,  as  the  cannonade  was  at  that  moment  rather  approach- 
ing than  receding  from  us.  I expressed  my  doubts  of  the 
fact,  and  told  him  that  the  battle  could  not  possibly  be  yet 
decided.  The  man,  however,  would  not  give  up  the  point, 
but  insisted  that  the  intelligence  was  official.  When  I asked 
him  if  he  had  seen  the  captive  prince  and  the  30,000  Aus- 
trians, as  they  must  certainly  have  been  brought  into  the 
city,  he  frankly  replied  that  he  had  not.  Several  persons 
from  the  town  had  seen  no  more  of  them  than  he,  so  that 
I could  give  a shrewd  guess  what  degree  of  credit  was  due 
to  the  story. 

In  the  afternoon  of  the  17th,  marshal  Ney  suddenly  ap- 
peared at  the  door  with  a numerous  retinue,  and  without 
ceremony  took  up  his  quarters  in  the  house.  I saw  nothing 
of  the  emperor  all  that  day,  nor  did  any  circumstance 
worthy  of  notice  occur.  On  the  18th,  at  three  in  the 
morning,  Napoleon  came  quite  unexpectedly  in  a carriage. 
He  went  immediately  to  marshal  Ney,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained in  conversation  about  an  hour.  He  then  hastened 


478 


THE  LTFE  OE 


away  again,  and  was  soon  followed  by  the  marshal,  whose 
servants  staid  behind.  His  post  must  have  been  a very 
warm  one  ; for  before  noon  he  sent  for  two  fresh  horses, 
and  a third  was  fetched  in  the  afternoon.  The  cannonade 
grew  more  violent,  and  gradually  approached  nearer.  I 
became  more  and  more  convinced  that  the  pompous  story  of 
the  victory  the  day  before  was  a mere  gasconade.  So  early 
as  twelve  o’clock  things  seemed  to  be  taking  a very  disas- 
trous turn  for  the  French.  About  this  time  they  began  to 
fall  back  very  fast  upon  the  city.  Shouts  of  vive  Vempc- 
reur ! suddenly  resounded  from  thousands  of  voices,  and 
at  this  cry  I saw  the  weary  soldiers  turn  about  and  advance. 
Appearances  nevertheless  became  still  more  alarming.  The 
balls  from  the  cannon  of  the  allies  already  fell  very  near  us. 
One  of  them  indeed  was  rude  enough  to  kill  a cow  scarcely 
live  paces  from  me,  and  to  wound  a Pole. 

The  French  all  this  time  could  talk  of  nothing  but  vic- 
tories, with  which  fortune  had,  most  unfortunately,  ren- 
dered them  but  too  familiar.  One  messenger  of  victory 
followed  upon  the  heels  of  another.  “General  Thielemann,” 
cried  an  aid-de-camp,  “has  just  been  taken,  with  6,000 
men  ; and  the  emperor  ordered  him  to  be  instantly  shot  on 
the  field  of  battle.” — The  most  violent  abuse  was*poured 
forth  upon  the  Saxons,  and  I now  learned  that  great  part  of 
them  had  gone  over  to  the  allies  in  the  midst  of  the  engage- 
ment. Heartily  as  I rejoiced  at  the  circumstance,  I never- 
theless joined  the  French  officers  in  their  execrations.  The 
concourse  kept  increasing  ; the  wounded  arrived  in  troops. 
Towards  evening  everjc  thing  attested  that  the  French  were 
very  closely  pressed.  A servant  came  at  full  gallop  to  in- 
form us  that  marshal  Ney  might  shortly  be  expected,  and 
that  he  was  wounded.  The  whole  house  was  instantly  in  an 
uproar.  Mon  Dieu , mon  Dieu  ! — cried  one  to  another — le 
prince  est  blesse — quel  malheur  ! Soon  after  the  marshal 
himself  arrived  ; he  was  on  foot  and  supported  by  an  aid- 
de-camp.  Vinegar  was  hastily  called  for.  The  marshal 
had  been  wounded  in  the  arm  by  a cannon-ball,  and  the  pain 
was  so  acute  that  he  could  not  bear  the  motion  of  riding. 

The  houses  in  the  village  were  every  where  plundered, 
and  the  inhabitants  kept  coming  in  to  solicit  assistance.  I 
represented  their  distress  to  an  aid-de-camp,  who  only 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


479 


shrugged  his  shoulders,  and  gave  the  miserable  consolation 
that  it  was  now  impossible  for  him  to  put  a stop  to  the  evil. 

At  length,  early  on  the  19th,  we  appeared  likely  to  get 
rid  in  good  earnest  of  the  monster  by  which  we  had  been 
so  dreadfully  tormented.  All  the  French  hurried  in  disorder 
to  the  city,  and  our  sauvegarde  also  made  preparations  to 
depart.  Already  did  I again  behold  in  imagination  the 
pikes  of  the  Cossacks.  All  the  subsequent  events  followed 
in  rapid  succession.  My  gens  d^armes  were  scarcely  gone 
when  a very  brisk  fire  of  sharp-shooters  commenced  in  our 
neighbourhood.  In  a few  minutes  Pomeranian  infantry- 
poured  from  behind  through  the  garden  into  the  house. 
They  immediately  proceeded,  without  stopping,  to  the  city. 
It  was  only  for  a few  minutes  that  I could  observe  with  a 
glass  the  confused  retreat  of  the  French.  Joy  at  the  long 
wished- for  arrival  of  our  countrymen  and  deliverers  soon 
called  me  away.  The  galling  yoke  was  now  shaken  off, 
probably  for  ever.  I bade  a hearty  welcome  to  the  brave 
soldiers ; and,  as  I saw  several  wounded  brought  in,  I 
hastened  to  afford  them  all  the-  assistance  in  my  power.  I 
may  ascribe  to  my  unwearied  assiduity  the  preservation  of 
the  life  of  lieutenant  M**,  a Swedish  officer,  who  was 
dangerously  wounded  ; and  by  means  of  it  1 had  likewise 
the  satisfaction  to  save  the  arm  of  the  Prussian  captain 
Von  'B#**,  which,  but  lor  that,  would  certainly  haw  re- 
quired amputation.  On  the  other  hand,  all  my  exertions 
in  behalf  oi  the  Swedish  major  Von  Doblen  proved  una- 
vailing ; I had  the  mortification  to  see  him  expire. 

I was  incessantly  engaged  with  my  wounded  patients, 
while  more  numerous  bodies  of  troops  continued  to  hasten 
towards  the  town.  We  now  thought  oursely.esffortunate 
in  being  already  in  the  rear  of  the  victorious  army  ; but 
the  universal  cry  was,  “ What  will  become  of  poor  Leip- 
zig?” which  was  at  this  moment  most  furiously  assaulted. 
Various  officers  of  distinction  kept  dropping  in,  The 
Swedish  adjutant-general  Guldenskiold  arrived  with  the 
captive  general  Reynier,  who  alighted  and  took  up  his  abode 
in  the  apartment  in  which  the  emperor  had  lodged.  He 
was  followed  by  the  Prussian  colonel  Von  Zastrow,  a most 
amiable  man,  and  soon  after  the  Prussian  general  V on  Bil- 
low arrived  with  his  Suite. 

, Our  stock  of  provisions  was  almost  entirely  consumed. 


480 


THE  LIFE  OF 


and  you  may  conceive  my  vexation  at  being  unable,  with 
the  best  will  in  the  world,  to  treat  our  ardently  wished-for 
guests  in  a suitable  manner.  I had  long  been  obliged  to 
endure  hunger  myself,  and  to  take  it  as  an  especial  favour  if 
the  French  cooks  and  valets  had  the  generosity  to  allow  me 
a small  portion  of  the  victuals  with  which  they  were  sup- 
plied. 

At  the  very  moment  when  marshal  Nev  arrived,  a fire 
had  broken  out  in  the  neighbourhood,  through  the  careless- 
ness of  the  French.  I hastened  to  the  spot,  to  render  as- 
sistance,  if  possible.  It  was  particularly  fortunate,  consid- 
ering the  violence  of  the  wind,  and  the  want  of  means  to 
extinguish  the  flames,  that  only  two  houses  were  destroyed. 
The  fire-engines  and  utensils  provided  for  such  purposes, 
had  been  carried  off  for  fuel  to  the  bivouacs.  Such  of  the 
inhabitants  of  the  village  as  had  not  run  away,  just  now 
kept  close  in  their  houses,  not  daring  to  venture  abroad, 
A number  of  unfeeling  Frenchmen  stood  about  gazing  at 
the  fire,  without  moving  a finger  towards  extinguishing  it. 
I called  out  to  them  to  lend  a hand  to  check  the  progress  of 
the  conflagration.  A scornful  burst  of  laughter  was  the  only 
reply  : the  scoundrels  would  not  stir,  and  absolutely  could 
not  contain  their  joy  whenever  the  flames  burned  more  furi- 
ously than  usual.  At  the  same  time  I witnessed  proceed- 
ings, of  which  the  wildest  savage  would  not  have  been 
guilty.  I saw  these  same  wretches,  who,  a few  days  after- 
wards, voraciously  devoured  before  my  face  the  flesh  of 
dead  horses,  and  even  human  carcasses,  wantonly  trample 
bread,  already  so  great  a rarity,  like  brute  beasts  in  the  dirt. 

For  six  or  eight  nights  I had  not  been  able  to  get  a mo- 
ment’s sleep  or  rest,  so  that  at  last  I reeled  about  like  one 
drunk  or  stupid.  The  only  wonder  is  that  my  health  was 
not  impaired  by  these  super-human  exertions.  My  dress 
and  general  appearance  were  frightful.  When  the  wound- 
ed Swedish  officer  was  brought  in,  he  of  course  wanted  a 
change  of  linen.  Not  a shirt  was  to  be  procured  any 
where,  and  I cheerfuilv  gave  him  that  which  I had  on  my 
back  ; so  that  I was  obliged  to  go  without  one  myself  for 
near  three  days.  Several  times  during  the  stay  of  the  French 
I had  assisted  in  extinguishing  fires  : even  the  presence  of 
marshal  Ney  was  not  sufficient  to  make  the  French  in  our 
houses  at  all  careful  in  the  use  of  fire.  Those  thoughtlesc 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


4 81 


fellows  took  the  first  combustible  that  fell  into  their  hands, 
and  lighted  themselves  about  with  it  in  every  corner.  They 
ran  with  burning  wisps  of  straw  among  large  piles  of  truss- 
es, and  this  was  often  done  in  the  house  where  the  mar- 
shal lay,  without  its  being  possible  to  prevent  the  practice. 
A French  aid-de-camp,  in  my  presence,  took  fifty  segars 
out  of  my  bureau,  just  at  the  moment  when  I was  too  busy 
to  hinder  him.  Whether  he  likewise  helped  himself  to 
some  fine  cravats  which  lay  near  them,  and  which  I after- 
wards missed,  I will  not  pretend  to  say. 

I have  suffered  a little,  you  see  ; but  yet  I have  fortu- 
nately escaped  the  thousands  of  danges  in  which  I was 
incessantly  involved.  Never  while  1 live  shall  I forget 
those  days.  That  same  divine  Providence  which  was  so 
manifestly  displayed  in  that  arduous  conflict,  and  which 
crowned  the  efforts  of  the  powers  allied  in  a sacred  cause 
with  so  glorious  and  so  signal  a victory,  evidently  extend- 
ed its  care  to  me.  After  the  battle  of  Jena,  in  1806,  Na- 
poleon declared  in  our  city  that  Leipzig  was  the  most  dan- 
gerous of  his  enemies.  Little  did  he  imagine  that  it  would 
once  prove  so  in  a very  different  sense  from  that  which  he 
attached  to  those  words.  Here  the  arm  of  the  Most  High 
arrested  his  victorious  career,  of  which  no  mortal  eye  could 
have  foreseen  the  termination.  I would  not  exchange  the 
glory — which  I may  justly  assume — the  glory  of  having 
saved  the  property  of  my  worthy  employer,  as  far  as  lay  in 
my  power,  during  those  tremendous  days  of  havoc  and  de- 
vastation, for  the  laurel  wreath  with  which  French  adulation 
attempts  most  unseasonably  to  entwine  the  brow  of  the  im- 
perial commander,  on  account  of  the  battle  of  Leipzig. 

[The  loss  of  Buonaparte  in  this  affair  was  rated  at  80,000 
men  and  180  pieces  of  cannon.] 


CHAPTER  XXIX. 

The  affairs  of  Buonaparte  after  the  transactions  near 
Leipzig,  grew  worse  and  worse  through  the  residue  of  the 
ye;  r.  in  November  Holland  underwent  a counter  revolt! 
tion,  restored  the  prince  of  Orange,  and  joined  the  coali- 
tion of  the  northern  powers.  So  severe  were  the  reverses 

61 


482 


THE  LIFE  OF 


of  Napoleon,  and  so  unpopular  had  he  become  in  many 
parts  of  France,  that  Alexander  of  Russia  at  the  head  of 
his  troops,  and  the  allied  sovereigns,  took  up  his  march 
into  France,  and  on  the  last  day  of  March,  1814,  entered 
Paris,  which  was  surrendered  by  capitulation. 

The  conservative  senate  then  declared  that  the  emperor 
had  forfeited  his  right  to  rule  the  nation,  and  the  people 
were  absolved  from  their  allegiance.  Buonaparte  then  re- 
nounced the  claims  of  himself  and  heirs  to  the  thrones  of 
France  and  Italy,  and  immediate  measures  were  taken  for 
his  departure  for  Elba,,  the  place  selected  for  his  residence. 
The  people  of  Paris  invited  the  Bourbon  family  to  return, 
and  Louis  XVIII.  made  his  public  entry  into  the  city  on 
the  3d  of  May. 

As  an  account  of  Napoleon’s  journey  from  Fontainebleau 
toFrejus,  on  his  way  to  Elba,  furnishes  many  particulars 
illustrative  of  his  character,  the  reader  will  be  gratified  in 
perusing  the  following  narrative  from  the  report  of  the  com- 
missioners appointed  as  his  convoy. 

Original  report  of  the  commission  appointed  to  convoy 
Napoleon  Buonaparte  to  the  island  of  Elba. 

Having  in  pursuance  of  our  instructions  arrived  at  Fon- 
tainebleau on  the  evening  of  the  16th  of  April,  we  were  in- 
vited by  generals  Bertrand  and  Drouet  to  take  up  our  resi- 
dence in  the  palace.  As  soon  as  mass  was  finished,  we 
commissioners,  viz.  the  Austrian  general  Roller,  the  Hus- 
sion general  Schuwaloff,  the  English  colonel  Campbell, 
and  myself,  together  with  major  count  Clam  Martiniz,  who 
attended  general  Roller  as  first  adjutant,  were  presented  to 
Napoleon  in  a private  audience.  Our  reception  was  rather 
cool,  and  his  confusion  and  indignation  were  evident  at  dis- 
covering a commissary  of  the  king  of  Prussia,  whom  in  his 
former  plans  he  seemed  to  intimate  a design  to  strike  out 
of  the  list  of  sovereigns.  Amongst  other  matters,  he  in- 
quired of  the  commissioners  if  there  were  any  Prussian 
troops  on  the  route  we  were  destined  to  take  ; and  upon  my 
answering  in  the  negative,  he  said,  “ But  in  that  case  you 
need  not  give  yourself  the  trouble  of  accompanying  me.” 
I replied,  that  far  from  being  a trouble,  I should  rather 
consider  it  an  honour.  He  still,  however,  persisted  in  his 
opinion,  and,  as  I observed,  that  as  the  king  had  been  pleased 
ro  appoint  me  to  the  office,  it  was  an  honour  I could  not 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


483 


and  would  not  renounce,  he  left  me  with  a countenance 
expressive  of  displeasure  and  confusion.  His  reception  of 
colonel  Campbell  was  more  friendly.  He  kindly  inquired 
after  his  wounds,  of  the  battles  wherein  he  had  obtained  his 
insignia,  and  from  hence  took  occasion  to  speak  of  the  w;ar 
in  Spain,  passed  many  encomiums  on  the  duke  of  Welling- 
ton, and  made  inquiries  relative  to  his  habits,  character,  &c. 
Having  been  informed  that  colonel  Campbell  was  a Scotch- 
man, he  turned  the  conversation  to  the  poems  of  Ossian, 
and  praised  them  for  the  noble  and  warlike  spirit  which 
they  breathed.  Our  departure  had  been  fixed  for  to-day, 
(June  17th,)  but  the  emperor  found  a pretext  for  postpon- 
ing it,  by  declaring  he  wished  rather  to  take  the  road  of 
Briare,  Raonne,  Lyon,  Valence,  and  Avignon,  than  that  of 
Auxerre,  Lyon,  Grenoble,  Gap,  and  Digne.  This  request, 
which  was  made  known  to  us  by  letter  through  general 
Bertrand,  was  founded  upon  the  following  reasons : that 
agreeably  to  the  treaty,  the  emperor  might  be  allowed  to 
be  escorted  by  his  own  guards,  and  these  were  stationed 
upon  the  road  pointed  out  by  him  ; a road  which,  be- 
sides, was  better  provided  with  horses,  and  had  not  been 
the  seat  of  w’ar  : and,  secondly,  that  his  equipage  which 
had  arrived  from  Orleans  had  already  been  directed  thither, 
and  awaited  him  at  Briare,  where  he  likewise  washed  to  take 
another  carriage  for  himself,  and  unpack  many  convenient 
cies  he  had  not  then  at  hand.  We  were  therefore  obliged 
to  obtain  from  Paris  orders  for  postponing  our  journey,  and 
general  Caulincourt,  who  had  taken  leave  of  the  emperor 
and  was  returning  thither,  wTas  charged  with  our  despatches. 
At  the  emperor’s  desire,  we  likewise  required  a copy  of  the 
order  transmitted  by  the  French  government  to  the  com- 
mandant of  Elba,  relative  to  the  emperor’s  reception,  with- 
out which  he  declared  he  would  not  expose  himself  to  the 
danger  or  possibility  of  not  being  received.  On  the  18th, 
at  night,  we  received  permission  to  accede  to  the  emperor’s 
wishes  as  to  our  route,  together  with  a transcript  of  the  or- 
der for  evacuating  the  island  of  Elba.  This,  however,  in 
his  opinion,  was. not  expressed  sufficiently  explicit ; he  was 
fearful  the  artillery  of  the  island  would  be  taken  away,  and 
he  should  then  be  entirely  deprived  of  all  means  of  defence. 
It  therefore  became  necessary  to  send  it  back  again  to  Paris : 
but  general  Koller  having  assured  the  emperor  every  thing 


484 


THE  LIFE  OF 


should  be  arranged  according  to  his  wishes,  our  departure 
was  consequently  fixed  for  the  20th.  In  the  mean  time 
Napoleon  had  despatched  nearly  a hundred  baggage- wagon s 
with  money,  furniture,  bronzes,  pictures,  statues,  and  books, 
and  perhaps  on  this  account  alone  had  prolonged  his  stay  at 
Fontainebleau. 

On  the  19th  he  sent  for  the  duke  of  Bassano,  and  said  to 
him,  “ You  are  reproached  with  having  always  prevented 
me  from  making  peace  ; what  say  you  to  it  ?”  Bassano 
replied,  “ Your  majesty  knows  very  well  that  he  has  never 
consulted  me,  and  that  he  has  always  acted  according  to 
his  own  wisdom,  and  without  taking  advice  from  those  who 
surrounded  him.  It  was  not  then  for  me  to  give  him  any, 
but  only  to  obey  his  orders.”  “ I knew  it  well,”  replied 
the  emperor,  quite  contented  ; “ I only  speak  of  the  subject 
to  let  you  know  the  opinion  that  is  entertained  of  you.” — 
Generals  Bclliard,  Ornano,  Petit,  Dejean,  and  Korsakowski, 
colonels  Montesquiou,  Bussy,  and  De  la  Place,  the  cham- 
bellan  Turenne,  and  the  minister  Bassano,  were  the  persons 
of  most  consideration  who  remained  with  him  till  his  de- 
parture. They  then  returned  to  Paris.  Generals  Bertrand 
and  Drouet  alone  accompanied  and  remained  with  him. 
General  Lefebvre  Desnouettes  went  forward  as  far  as  Ni- 
vers,  in  order  to  await  and  take  leave  of  him  there. 

On  the  20th  of  April,  at  ten  o’clock  in  the  morning,  the 
carriages  were  drawn  up  for  departure  in  the  court-yard  of 
Fontainebleau,  when  the  emperor  sent  for  general  Roller, 
and  addressed  him  in  these  words  : — “ I have  reflected  on 
what  remains  for  me  to  do.  I have  determined  not  to  de- 
part. The  allies  are  not  faithful  to  their  engagements  to- 
wards me.  I then  may  also  revoke  my  abdication,  which 
was  only  conditional.  This  night  more  than  one  thousand 
addresses  have  reached  me,  in  which  I am  conjured  to  re- 
sume the  reins  of  government.  I have  renounced  my  right 
to  the  crown  only  to  spare  France  the  horrors  of  a civil  war, 
never  having  had  any  object  but  her  g;lory  and  happiness. 
But  knowing  at  present  the  discontent  occasioned  by  the 
measures  of  the  new  government,  and  seeing  in  what  man- 
ner the  promises  made  to  me  have  been  fulfilled,  I can  ex- 
plain to  my  guards  the  motives  which  induce  me  to  revoke 
my  abdication,  and  I shall  see  whether  the  hearts  of  my  old 
soldiers  can  be  torn  from  me.  It  is  true  that  the  number 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


485 


of  troops  on  which  I can  count  will  not  exceed  thirty  thou- 
sand men,  but  I could  very  easily  augment  it  in  a few  days 
to  one  hundred  and  thirty  thousand.  I might,  however, 
without  compromitting  my  honour,  say  to  my  guards,  that 
regarding  only  the  tranquillity  and  happiness  of  the  country, 
I renounced  all  my  rights,  and  exhort  them  to  attend,  like 
me,  to  the  wishes  of  the  nation.”  General  Koller,  who 
hitherto  had  not  been  able  to  speak  a word,  seized  the  mo- 
ment of  a short  pause  after  this  last  observation,  to  tell  him 
that  his  noble  abdication  was  the  most  distinguished  of  all 
his  actions,  since,  by  this  proof  of  his  patriotism,  he  had 
set  the  crown  upon  all  his  former  great  and  noble  deeds. 

Amongst  many  other  singular  remarks  made  by  the  em- 
peror during  this  conversation,  the  following  is  particularly 
worthy  of  notice.  Having  observed,  he  well  knew  many 
persons  had  censured  hini  for  not  having  destroyed  himself, 
he  added,  “ I see  nothing  great  in  putting  an  end  to  one’s 
life  like  a desperate  gamester  who  has  lost  his  whole  fortune. 
There  is  much  more  courage  in  surviving  our  misfortunes 
when  unmerited.  That  I have  not  feared  death  I have  pro- 
ved on  many  occasions,  and  latterly  again  at  Arcis-sur-Aube, 
where  four  horses  were  killed  under  me.”  He  then  con- 
tinued, “ I have  no  reproach  to  make  myself.  I have  not 
been  an  usurper,  for  I accepted  the  crown  only  on  the  unan- 
imous wish  of  the  whole  nation.  But  Louis  XVIII.  has 
usurped  it,  being  called  to  the  throne  only  by  a vile  senate, 
more  than  ten  of  whose  members  have  voted  for  the  death 
of  Louis  XVI.  I never  was  the  cause  of  any  one’s 
destruction.  As  for  war,  that’s  different.  But  I was  obli- 
ged to  make  war,  because  the  nation  wished  that  I should 
aggrandize  France.” 

After  general  Koller  had  quitted  him,  he  sent  for  colonel 
Campbell,  conversed  with  him  about  his  plan  of  seeking- 
protection  in  England,  admitted  general  Schuwaloff  and  my- 
self to  a short  audience,  in  which  the  conversation  ran  on- 
ly upon  indifferent  topics — and  about  twelve  o’clock  de- 
scended into  the  court-yard  of  the  palace,  where  the  grena- 
diers of  his  guard  were  drawn  up.  He  here  collected 
around  him  the  officers  and  sergeants  of  the  guard,  to  de- 
liver the  celebrated  speech  so  universally  known,  and  which 
he  did  with  so  much  dignity  and  warmth,  that  all  who  stood 
near  were  moved  by  it.  After  he  had  embraced  general 


486 


THE  LIFE  OF 


Petit,  and  kissed  the  standard,  he  exclaimed  with  a broken 
voice,  “ Farewell,  my  children,  my  best  wishes  will  always 
accompany  you.  Remember  me  !” — extended  his  hand  to 
be  kissed  by  the  officers  standing  around  him,  and  then  with 
his  grand  marshal  ascended  his  carriage. 

General  Drouet  took  the  lead  in  a close  carriage  ; imme- 
diately after  the  emperor  came  general  Roller  ; general 
Schuwaloff followed  next;  then  colonel  Campbell;  and 
lastly  myself : each  in  his  own  caleshe.  My  adjutant  was 
followed  by  general  Schuwaloff’s,  and  eight  carriages  with 
the  emperor’s  suite  closed  the  procession.  A loud  “ Vive 
Pempereur  !”  attended  his  departure,  and  received  him  in 
every  town  and  place  through  which  our  route  lay  ; whilst 
we,  on  the  other  hand,  were  obliged  to  endure  the  painful 
task  of  hearing  from  the  mob  their  discontent  at  our  pres- 
ence and  the  objqpt  of  our  journey,  and  which,  for  the  most 
part  was  couched  in  the  lowest  terms  of  abuse.  Attended 
by  his  guards  as  far  as  Briare,  we  here  passed  the  night. 
From  this  place  five  of  his  carriages  were  immediately  dis- 
patched forwards,  the  scarcity  of  horses  having  rendered  it  ne- 
cessary that  we  should  proceed  in  twodivisions.  The  emperor, 
however,  we  commissaries,  and  his  four  other  carriages,  did 
not  quit  Briare  till  about  twelve  o’clock  of  the  21st,  and  not 
till  after  he  had  held  a long  conversation  with  general  Rol- 
ler, which  he  commenced  with  these  words  : “ Well ! you 
heard  yesterday  my  speech  to  the  old  guard  : it  pleased 

you,  and  you  saw  the  effect  it  produced.  It  is  thus  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  speak  to  them,  and  to  act  with  them  ; and  if 
Louis  XVIII.  does  not  follow  this  example,  he  will  never  do 
any  thing  with  French  soldiers.”  He  then  passed  many 
encomiums  on  the  emperor  Alexander,  for  his  friendship 
in  offering  him  an  establishment  in  Russia  ; a kindness 
which  he  with  more  right,  but  fruitlessly,  had  expected  from 
his  father-in-law.  He  likewise  declared  that  he  never  could 
forgive  the  king  of  Prussia  for  having  given  the  first  ex- 
ample of  revolt ; and  asked,  how  it  had  been  possible  to 
awaken  this  spirit  in  the  Prussian  nation  ? In  other  re- 
spects, however,  he  felt  disposed  to  do  them  perfect  justice. 
From  this  he  again  turned  to  the  danger  which  Austria  was 
exposed  to  from  such  a neighbour,  whose  good  understand- 
ing with  Russia  so  intimately  united  these  two  states,  that 
they  properly  formed  but  one. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


437 


With  colonel  Campbell,  whom  he  this  clay  detained  to 
breakfast,  he  spoke  much  about  the  Spanish  war,  and  prais- 
ed beyond  measure  the  English  nation  and  lord  Wellington. 
He  then  entered  into  conversation  with  the  orderly  in  wait- 
ing, colonel  De  la  Place,  on  the  subject  of  the  last  war. 

On  the  same  morning  close  to  Avignon,  where  the  relays 
of  horses  awaited  us,  the  emperor  found  a crowd  assem- 
bled, who  with  tumultuous  cries  saluted  him  with  “ Long 
live  the  king  ! success  to  the  allies  ! down  with  the  ty- 
rant, the  rascal,  the  scoundrel!”  and  still  coarser  abuse. 
In  compliance  with  our  instructions  we  did  every  thing  in 
our  power  to  lighten  the  evil,  but  could  only  partially  effect 
it  ; and  Napoleon  endured  with  the  greatest  patience  every 
term  of  abuse  uttered  against  him.  The  people  however, 
as  they  constantly  greeted  us  with  “ Success  to  the  allies 
our  deliverers,  the  generous  emperor  of  Russia,  and  the 
good  king  William  !”  likewise  conceived  we  should  not 
deny  them  the  liberty  of  venting  their  indignation  against 
the  man  who  had  made  them  so  unhappy,  and  even  had  the 
intention  of  rendering  them  still  more  miserable.  They 
wanted  to  compel  the  emperor’s  postillion  to  cry  “ Vive  le 
Roi  !”  and  one  fellow  who  was  armed  drew  a sword  to  cut 
at  him.  He  was  however  prevented,  and  the  horses  being 
speedily  changed,  the  carriage  rolled  so  rapidily  forward  that 
we  did  not  overtake  it  till  a quarter  of  a league  on  the  other 
side  of  Avignon.  In  every  village,  and  from  all  kinds  of 
people  whom  the  emperor  met  on  the  road,  he  was  receiv- 
ed in  a similar  manner  as  at  Avignon.  In  Orgon,  the  next 
place  where  we  changed  horses,  the  conduct  of  the  popu- 
lace was  most  outrageous.  Exactly  on  the  spot  where  the 
horses  were  taken  out,  a gallows  was  erected,  on  which  a 
figure  in  French  uniform  sprinkled  with  blood  was  suspend- 
ed. On  its  breast  it  bore  a paper  with  this  inscription  : 

“ Such,  soon  or  late,  -will  be  the  lot  of  the  tyrant !” 

The  rabble  pressed  around  his  carriage,  and  elevated  them- 
selves on  both  sides  in  order  to  look  and  cast  in  their  abuse. 
The  emperor  pressed  into  a corner,  looked  pale  and  disfig- 
ured, and  as  at  length  through  our  assistance  he  was  hap- 
pily brought  off  and  had  proceeded  a quarter  of  a league 
from  Orgon,  he  changed  his  dress  in  his  carriage,  put  on  a 
plain  blue  great  coat  and  a round  hat  with  a white  cockade. 


488 


THE  LIFE  OF 


mounted  a post  horse,  and  rode  on  before  as  a courier. 
As  it  was  some  time  ere  we  overtook  him,  we  were  perfect- 
ly ignorant  of  his  being  no  longer  in  the  carriage,  and  in 
St.  Canat,  where  the  horses  were  again  changed,  we  still 
believed  him  to  be  in  the  greatest  danger  ; for  the  people 
attempted  to  break  open  the  doors,  which  however  were  for- 
tunately locked.  Had  they  succeeded  they  would  certainly 
have  destroyed  general  Bertrand,  who  sat  there  alone.  We 
prevented  it  however,  and  in  spite  of  the  stones  which  the 
people  cast  against  the  carriage,  Bertrand  happily  escaped. 
Characteristic  is  the  prayer  with  which  some  of  the  women 
assailed  me  : “ For  the  love  of  God,  deliver  him  up  to  us 
to  be  pillaged  : he  has  deserved  it  so  richly  from  you  as 
well  as  us,  that  nothing  is  more  just  than  our  demand.” 

Having  overtaken  the  emperor’s  carriage  about  a half  a 
league  on  the  other  side  of  Orgon,  it  shortly  afterwards  en- 
tered a miserable  public  house,  lying  on  the  road-side,  call- 
ed La  Calade.  We  followed  it,  and  here  first  learnt  Buo- 
naparte’s disguise,  who  in  this  attire  had  arrived  here,  ac- 
companied by  one  courier  only.  His  suite  from  the  gen- 
erals to  the  scullions,  were  decorated  with  white  cockades, 
which  he  appeared  previously  to  have  provided  himself 
with.  His  valet- de-chambre,  who  came  to  meet  us,  beg- 
ged we  would  conduct  ourselves  towards  the  emperor  as  if 
he  were  colonel  Campbell,  for  whom  on  his  arrival  he  had 
passed  himself.  We  entered,  and  found  in  a kind  of  cham- 
ber this  former  ruler  of  the  world,  buried  in  thought,  sitting 
with  his  head  supported  by  his  hand.  I did  not  immediate- 
ly recognise  him.  He  started  up  as  he  heard  somebody  ap- 
proaching. His  countenance  was  bedewed  with  tears.  He 
made  a sign,  that  I might  not  discover  him,  requested  me 
to  sit  down  beside  him,  and  as  long  as  the  landlady  was  in 
the  room,  conversed  upon  indifferent  subjects.  As  soon, 
however,  as  she  was  gone  out,  he  resumed  his  former  po- 
sition. 

Napoleon,  who  now  pretended  to  be  an  Austrian  colonel, 
dressed  himself  in  the  uniform  of  general  Roller,  with  the 
order  of  Theresa,  wore  my  camp  cap,  and  cast  over  his 
shoulders  general  Schuwaloff’s  mantle.  After  the  allies  had 
thus  equipped  him,  the  carriages  drove  up,  and  we  were 
obliged  to  march  to  them  through  the  other  rooms  of  the  inn 
in  a certain  order,  which  had  been  previously  tried  in  our 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


489 


own  chamber.  The  procession  was  headed  by  general 
Drouet:  then  came  as  emperor  general  ScbuwalofPs  adju- 
tant ; upon  this  general  Roller,  the  emperor,  general  Sctiu- 
waloff,  and  lastly  myself,  to  whom  the  honour  of  forming 
the  rear  guard  was  assigned.  The  remainder  of  the  imperial 
suite  united  themselves  with  us  as  we  passed  by,  and  thus 
we  walked  through  the  gaping  multitude,  who  vainly  en- 
deavoured to  distinguish  their  tyrant  amongst  us.  Schu- 
waloff’s  adjutant,  major  Glewieff,  placed  himself  in  Napo- 
leon’s carriage,  and  the  latter  sat  beside  general  Roller  in  his 
caleche.  A ft  w gens  d’armes  who  had  arrived  from  Aix 
scattered  the  rabble,  and  the  procession  now  proceeded  hap- 
pily forwards.  Wherever  we  appeared,  we  still  found  peo- 
ple who  saluted  their  former  ruler  with  “ Long  live  the 
king  !”  and  some  terms  of  abuse  against  himself ; but  no- 
thing like  violence  was  attempted.  Still,  however,  he  was 
constantly  in  alarm. 

In  Maximin  he  breakfasted  with  us,  and  having  learnt 
that  the  sub-prefect  of  Aix  was  there,  he  ordered  him  into 
his  presence,  and  received  him  w ith  these  words’?  “ You 
ought  to  blush  at  seeing  me  in  an  Austrian  uniform,  which 
I have  been  obliged  to  assume  to  protect  me  against  the 
Provencals.  I came  among  you  with  full  confidence,  while 
I might  have  brought  with  me  6000  men  of  my  guard  ; and 
I find  only  a frantic  rabble  who  put  my  life  in  danger.  They 
are  a wicked  race,  these  Provencals  ; they  have  committed 
all  sorts  of  horrors  and  crimes  in  the  revolution,  and  are 
now  quite  ready  to  begin  again  : but  when  there  is  ques- 
tion of  fighting  with  courage,  then  they  are  poltroons. 
Never  has  Provence  furnished  me  with  a single  regiment 
that  I had  reason  to  be  satisfied  with.  But  just  as  they  ap- 
pear against  me  to-day,  they  will  be  perhaps  to-morrow  ' 
against  Louis  XVIII.  They  think  they  will  have  no  more 
taxes  to  pay,  but  when  they  will  find  that  the  contributions 
will  only  have  changed  their  name,  they  will  be  as  prone  to 
revolution  as  in  the  year  1790.  You  have  not  then  been 
able  to  restrain  this  populace  !” 

The  prefect,  who  did  not  know  if,  and  in  what  manner, 
he  should  excuse  himself  in  our  presence,  only  said,  44 1 am 
quite  confused,  sire  !”  The  emperor  then  asked  him  if  the 
droits  reunis  were  already  taken  off,  and  if  the  levee  en  masse 
would  have  encountered  many  difficulties  here?  The  pre- 

62 


490 


THE  LIFE  OF 


feet  assured  him  this  could  have  been  still  less  effected 
since  he  had  not  been  able  to  bring  together  one  half  ot  the 
conscription.  Napoleon  now  renewed  his  abuse  of  the  Pro- 
vencals in  the  most  inconsiderate  manner,  and  dismissed  the 
prefect. 

To  us  he  again  spoke  of  Louis  XVIII.  and  said  he 
would  never  effect  any  thing  with  the  French  nation  if  he 
treated  them  with  too  much  forbearance.  He  would  from 
necessity  be  obliged  to  lay  large  imposts  upon  them,  and 
hence  cause  himself  to  be  immediately  hated.  He  likewise- 
told  us  that  “ eighteen  years  before,  he  had  marched  through 
this  place  with  some  thousand  men,  to  liberate  two  royalists 
who  were  to  have  been  executed  for  wearing  the  white 
cockade.  In  spite,  however,  of  the  fury  of  the  populace 
with  which  he  had  had  to  contend,  he  fortunately  saved 
them,  and  to-day  (he  continued)  would  that  man  be  mur- 
dered by  this  same  populace  who  should  refuse  to  wear  a 
white  cockade — so  contradictory  and  vacillating  are  they  in 
every  thing  they  do.”  Having  learnt  that  two  squadrons 
of  Austrian  hussars  were  stationed  at  Luc,  an  order  was 
sent  at  his  request  to  the  commanders,  to  await  our  arrival 
there,  in  order  to  escort  the  emperor  to  Frejus.  This  tran- 
quillized him  extremely.  Still  however  he  retained  his 
rigid  incognitio,  and  was  quite  rejoiced  at  general  Roller's 
being  taken  for  the  emperor  in  a conversation  he  held  with 
a French  officer,  a native  of  Corsica.  Roller  was  obliged 
to  put  various  questions  to  him,  which  Napoleon  whispered 
in  his  ear,  and  which  led  the  officer  to  conclude  it  must  be 
the  emperor  who  spoke  with  him,  since  no  Austrian  gene- 
ral could  have  such  an  intimate  knowledge  of  Corsica.  As 
Napoleon  observed  this,  he  begged  the  general  would  on 
no  account  undeceive  him.  Shortly  after  mid-day  we 
reached  a country-house  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Luc,  be- 
longing to  the  legislator  Charles,  where  the  princess  Pau- 
line Borghese,  the  emperor’s  sister,  was  residing.  We 
understood  she  was  exceedingly  shocked  at  seeing  her 
brother  .in  his  disguise  ; but  immediately  determined  upon 
accompanying  him  to  Elba.  Upon  receiving  intelligence 
a few  days  before  of  the  recent  extraordinary  events,  she 
would  at  first  on  no  account  credit  them  ; and  at  last  con 
vinced  of  their  truth,  she  inquired,  “ But  in  that  case  my 
brother  is  dead  ?”  Being  assured  that  on  the  contrary  he 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


49i 


had  signed  his  abdication,  that  he  had  obtained  a pension 
for  himself,  and  was  already  on  his  way  to  Elba,  she  ex- 
claimed,  “ How,  he  has  been  able  to  survive  all  that  ? This 
is  the  worst  part  of  the  news  you  have  given  me.”  She 
then  sank  down  in  hysteric  fits,  which  were  much  more 
severe  than  usual.  Her  interview  with  her  brother  to-day 
had  also  much  injured  her;  but  notwithstanding  this,  she 
set  off  the  same  evening  for  Nuits,  from  whence  she  had 
but  two  miles  to  travel  on  the  following  day  to  Frejus. 
Previous  to  her  departure  she  sent  us  an  invitation  to  wait 
upon  her.  We  were  presented  by  general  Bertrand.  She 
conversed  with  us  with  that  grace  so  peculiar  to  her,  and 
said  she  hoped  to  have  the  pleasure  of  seeing  us  again  the 
next  day  in  Frejus. 

We  left  this  on  the  morning  of  the  27th,  and  arrived  at 
Frejus  early.  The  Austrian  troops  who  had  escorted  us 
hither  remained  here,  and  did  the  duty  of  the  place  till  the 
emperor’s  departure.  From  the  moment  Napoleon  saw 
himself  in  safety  from  the  Austrian  escort,  he  again  resum- 
ed his  uniform,  and  sat  in  his  own  carriage.  In  Luc  he 
likewise  found  his  other  carriage  which  had  gone  on  before 
from  Briare,  and  had  arrvied  here  a day  before  us.  They  had 
passed  through  Avignon  on  Sunday  the  24th  of  April,  and 
had  only  saved  themselves  from  the  danger  of  being  mal- 
treated by  the  mob,  and  seeing  the  carriage  plundered,  by 
taking  from  the  latter,  as  well  as  their  own  clothes,  every 
mark  of  the  imperial  eagle  and  name,  sticking  up  a multi- 
tude of  white  cockades  and  lilies,  scattering  handsful  of 
money  among  the  populace,  and  crying,  “ Long  live  the 
king ! long  live  Louis  XVIII.  ! down  with  the  emperor ! 
down  with  Nicholas  !”  They  had  likewise  found  means  of 
communicating  this  scene  to  their  master,  so  that  he  was 
already  informed  of  what  awaited  him  prior  to  his  arrival 
in  Avignon. 

In  Luc  several  persons  in  the  emperor’s  service  quitted 
him,  and  it  was  probably  one  of  these  who  in  the  night  of 
the  28th  stole  a chest,  containing  60,000  francs,  from  the 
maitre  d’hotel,  with  which  the  expenses  of  the  journey  were 
to  be  discharged. 

In  Frejus  we  found  colonel  Campbell,  who  had  brought 
round  from  Marseilles  the  Undaunted,  an  English  frigate, 
commanded  by  captain  Usher,  for  the  purpose  of  escorting 


492 


THE  LTFE  OF 


our  distinguished  companion,  and  securing  his  ship  from 
an;,  attack.  In  pursuance  of  the  treaty  this  latter  was  to 
have  been  a corvette,  and  it  was  now  discovered  that  the 
French  government  had  only  sent  a brig,  (L’ Inconstant,) 
which  was  to  receive  their  deposed  ruler,  and  remain  his 
property.  A French  frigate,  in  addition,  was  destined  as 
escort.  Napoleon  was  extremely  displeased  at  receiving  a 
brig  instead  of  a corvette,  and  we  not  unwillingly  saw  that 
he  had  formed  the  determination  of  shipping  himself  on 
board  of  the  English  frigate,  and  making  no  use  of  the 
brig.  He  said,  “ If  the  government  had  known  what  was 
due  to  itself  and  to  him  who  had  been  its  chief,  it  would 
have  sent  him  a three-decker,  and  not  a rotten  old  brig,  on 
board  of  which  it  would  be  beneath  his  dignity  to  go.” 
The  captain  of  the  French  frigate,  offended  at  the  empe- 
ror’s disdain,  sailed  with  his  ship  and  the  brig  back  again 
to  Toulon,  and  the  emperor  now  invited  us  commissaries, 
count  Klamm,  and  captain  Usher  to  dinner.  Here  again 
he  was  all  the  emperor.  He  conversed  for  the  most  part 
with  captain  Usher,  and  as  the  latter  understood  but  little 
French,  Campbell  was  obliged  to  officiate  as  interpreter. 
He  told  us  with  singular  frankness,  the  plans  he  had  still 
contemplated  of  aggrandizing  France  at  our  expense  ; how 
he  intended  to  have  made  Hamburgh  a second  Antwerp, 
and  to  have  remodelled  the  harbour  of  Cuxhaven,  in  a sim- 
ilar manner  to  that  of  Cherbourg,  &c.  He  even  communi- 
cated to  us  what  was  hithertp  completely  unknown  ; the 
Elbe  had  precisely  the  same  depth  with  the  Scheldt,  and 
like  this  was  completely  adapted  for  laying  a road  at  its  em- 
bouchure. He  had  already  prepared  a project  for  intro- 
ducing into  his  empire  a particular  conscription  for  his  ma- 
rine, in  the  same  manner  as  for  his  land  forces.  Had  it  not 
been  for  the  misfortunes  he  had  encountered  by  land,  every 
means  had  stood  at  his  command  for  the  execution  of  this 
great  plan,  and  within  two  years,  with  such  enormous  pow- 
ers at  his  command,  he  could  not  have  failed  in  reducing 
England,  for  against  her  alone  had  all  his  previous  efforts 
been  directed.  He  could  now  speak  of  these  plans,  since 
his  present  situation  rendered  the  execution  of  them  totally 
impossible.  In  his  zeal  he  became  so  animated  that  he 
spoke  of  his  fleet  in  Toulon,  Brest,  and  Antwerp  ; of  his 
army  in  Hamburgh ; of  his  mortars  lying  at  Hieres  with 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


493 


which  he  could  cast  bombs  above  three  thousand  paces  ; 
and  of  all  as  if  they  were  yet  his  own. 

After  dinner  he  took  leave  of  general  Schuwaloff  and  me, 
thanked  us  for  the  personal  service-,  we  had  rendered  him, 
and  in  general  terms  spoke  of  the  French  government  with 
indignation  and  contempt.  To  general  Kolier  in  particular 
he  complained  of  the  wrongs  he  had  experienced.  They 
had  left  him  oniy  a single  service  of  silver  plate,  only  six 
dozen  of  shirts  ; had  retained,  contrary  to  the  agreement, 
the  remainder  of  his  plate  and  linen ; had  acted  precisely 
in  the  same  manner  with  regard  to  a quantity  of  furniture, 
which  he  had  purchased  with  his  own  money,  and  among 
other  things  had  refused  to  acknowledge  his  exclusive  right 
to  the  regent-diamond,  although  he  had  redeemed  it  with 
four  millions  of  his  own  private  property  from  the  Jews  in 
Berlin,  to  whom  the  French  government  had  pawned  it. 
He  begged  Kolier  would  communicate  these  grievances  to 
his  own  and  the  Russian  emperor,  in  order  that  they  might 
be  relieved,  and  he  might  have  justice  done  him.  On  the 
evening  of  this  day  we  signed  two  notes  to  the  governor  of 
Elba,  requesting  him,  in  compliance  with  the  order  of  his 
government,  to  deliver  up  the  island  to  the  emperor  Napo- 
leon, together  with  all  the  artillery  and  ammunition  then  up- 
on it. 

Early  on  the  morning  of  the  28th  he  was  to  have  depart- 
ed, and  had  ordered  his  equipage  to  be  shipped  ; he  pretend- 
ed, however,  to  be  indisposed,  and  did  not  quit  his  cham- 
ber till  about  nine  o’clock  in  the  evening,  after  having  pre- 
viously requested  to  speak  with  Schuwaloff  and  me.  As 
the  general  was  already  driven  forwards  towards  the  har- 
bour, he  took  leave  of  me  alone  ; thanked  me  again  for  the 
personal  services  I had  rendered  him,  but  did  not  commis- 
sion me  with  any  message  for  the  king.  General  Schu- 
waloff went  on  board  the  frigate  after  the  emperor  was  there, 
and  of  him  he  begged  “ to  present  the  homage  of  his  re- 
spects to  the  emperor  Alexander.”  The  Austrian  hussars 
attended  him  with  all  military  honours  to  the  harbour  St. 
Raphor,  where  fourteen  years  before  he  had  landed  on  his 
return  from  Egypt.  On  board  the  frigate  he  was  received 
with  a discharge  of  four-and-twenty  pieces  of  cannon.  In 
two  hours  the  frigate  got  under  weigh.  General  Kolier, 
©olonel  Campbell,  count  Kiamm,  and  general  Koller’s  ad- 


494 


THE  LIFE  OF 


jutant,  attended  the  emperor  to  the  island  of  Elba.  His 
own  suite  consisted  of  generals  Bertrand  and  Drouet,  the 
Polish  major  Germanofsky,  two  fourriers  du  palais,  one 
officer  payeur,  mons.  Pyrrhus,  one  physician,  mons.  Four- 
reau,  two  secretaries,  one  maitre  d’hotel,  one  valet-de- chain- 
bre,  two  cooks,  and  six  servants.  General  Bertrand  was 
much  affected.  General  Drouet  evinced  more  firmness  and 
stability.  The  emperor  had  wished  to  present  him  with 
100,000  francs,  but  he  declined  it,  with  the  assurance  that 
if  lie  accepted  the  money  he  could  not  attend  him,  since  his 
conduct  would  then  be  considered  as  having  originated  sole- 
ly in  selfishness.  General  Schuwaloff  and  I left  Frejus  the 
same  night,  the  former  directly  for  Paris,  and  I by  way  of 
Toulon  and  Marseilles. 

Nothing  remarkable  happened  on  the  passage.  The  em- 
peror remained  in  perfect  health.  On  the  3d  of  May,  at 
six  o’clock  in  the  evening,  the  vessel  came  to  anchor  in  the 
-*  roads  of  Porto -Ferrajo. 

Several  officers  of  the  allies  immediately  went  on  shore 
with  the  grand  marshal  of  the  palace  and  general  count 
Drouet.  It  was  necessary  to  notify  the  commandant  of 
Buonaparte’s  arrival.  The  night  was  to  be  employed  in 
preparations  for  his  reception,  and  in  convoking  the  civil 
and  military  authorities,  who  were  the  next  morning  to  at- 
tend his  entree.  But  scarcely  was  his  arrival  known  when 
the  generals,  the  army  and  navy  officers,  the  magistrates,  the 
clergy,  and  the  principal  inhabitants,  flocked  on  board  the 
vessel  still  lying  in  the  roads,  and  were  all  admitted. 

The  next  day,  at  four  in  the  morning,  Buonaparte  receiv- 
ed a deputation  of  the  authorities.  A detachment  of  troops 
then  carried  on  shore  the  standard  of  the  island,  sent  by  the 
new  monarch.  It  was  a white  ground  with  a red  bar  across 
it,  and  three  yellow  bees.  At  noon  the  inauguration  took 
place  ; the  standard  was  hoisted  on  the  fort  of  L’Etoile, 
and  saluted  by  all  the  artillery  of  the  city  and  batterries. 
The  English  frigate  saluted  in  turn  ; and  the  vessels  of  dif- 
ferent nations  lying  in  the  port  did  the  same. 

At  one  o’clock  the  emperor  went  on  shore  with  all  his 
suite,  and  made  his  solemn  entrance.  He  was  saluted  by 
the  forts  with  a hundred  guns,  and  by  the  British  frigate 
with  twenty-four.  He  was  dressed  in  a coat  richly  embroi- 
dered with  silver,  over  which  he  wore  a plain  blue  surtoUL 


NAPOLEON  BUONAFARTE. 


495 


In  his  hat  he  bore  the  cockade  of  the  island  of  Elba,  which, 
like  that  of  Genoa,  is  red  in  the  centre,  on  a white  ground. 
The  only  additions  made  in  it  by  the  emperor  were  three 
golden  bees  on  the  white  ground. 

At  his  entrance  into  the  city,  the  troops  were  all  under 
arms.  The  emperor  was  received  by  the  authorities,  the 
clergy,  the  notables  of  the  city,  and  a crowd  of  inhabitants. 

The  simple  undisguised  joy  of  the  young  Elban  girls, 
and  the  enthusiasm  manifested  by  the  common  fishermen, 
who  for  a long  time  had  been  in  the  habit  of  listening  to 
our  soldiers  when  they  recounted  the  memorable  exploits 
and  victories  of  Napoleon,  were  for  the  monarch  an  affecting 
and  consolatory  spectacle.  A personage  of  so  great  re- 
nown confidently  seeking,  as  a place  of  refuge,  the  bosom 
of  an  island  almost  unknown  ; the  calmness  and  gaiety 
with  which  his  majesty  sometimes  conversed  with  the 
meanest  of  the  citizens,  all  contributed  to  throw  them  into 
ecstacies  which  sometimes  gave  the  guards  occasion  of, 
alarm.  They  pressed  round  their  beloved  sovereign  ; they 
almost  bore  him  along  ; and  the  hero,  moved  by  their  af- 
fection, lost  even  the  mournful  recollection  of  his  former 
power  and  friends,  so  recently  passed  away  ; and  was  con- 
soled and  reconciled  to  existence  by  the  reflection  that  he 
was  about  to  reign  over  a nation  whose  hearts  were  patterns 
of  simplicity  and  faithfulness. 

The  mayor,  after  a short  harangue,  presented  his  majesty 
with  the  keys  of  the  city  ; and  then  proceeded  with  him  to 
the  cathedral,  w here  a Te  Deum  was  chanted.  On  leaving 
the  church,  the  emperor  was  conducted  to  the  mayoralty, 
which  was  temporarily  fitted  up  for  his  reception.  Here  he 
was  again  complimented  by  the  authorities  and  the  superi- 
or officers.  He  conversed  for  some  time  with  them  on  the 
manners  of  the  inhabitants,  the  resources  of  the  island,  and 
the  means  of  amelioration  that  could  be  the  most  promptly 
and  efficaciously  employed.  There  was  afterwards  a grand 
dinner,  at  which  he  presided  with  so  much  taste,  and  with 
manners  so  frank  and  affable,  that  he  won  every  heart.  In  the 
evening  the  city  and  port  were  spontaneously  illuminated. 

Early  in  the  morning  of  next  day  the  following  procla- 
mation was  issued  : 

“ Inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Elba  ! The  vicissitudes 
of  human  life  have  brought  amongst  you  the  emperor  Na- 


496 


THE  LIFE  OF 


poleon  ; and  by  his  own  choice  he  is  become  your  sove^ 
reign.  Before  he  came  within  your  walls,  your  new  and 
august  monarch  addressed  me  in  the  following  words,  which 
I hasten  to  communicate  to  you,  as  they  are  the  pledge  of 
your  future  happiness. 

“ General,  I have  sacrificed  my  rights  to  the  welfare  of 
“ my  country  ; and  I have  reserved  to  myself  the  property 
“ and  sovereignty  of  Elba.  All  the  powers  have  consent- 
“ ed  to  this  arrangement.  Make  known  to  the  inhabitants 
“ this  state  of  things,  and  the  choice  I made  of  their  island, 
“ in'  consideration  of  the  suavity  of  their  manners  and  the 
“ mildness  of  their  climate.  Tell  them  that  they  shall  be 
“ objects  of  my  continual  care ” 

“ Inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Elba  ! these  expressions 
require  no  comment ; they  will  accomplish  your  destiny. 
The  emperor’s  opinion  of  you  was  just.  I owe  you  this 
acknowledgement,  and  I freely  make  it. 

“ Inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Elba,  I soon  shall  be  far 
absent  from  you  ; this  absence  will  be  painful  to  me,  be- 
cause I love  you  sincerely  ; but  the  idea  that  you  are  hap- 
py will  soften  the  pain  of  parting,  and  wherever  Providence 
may  direct  my  steps,  I shall  cherish  the  remembrance  of 
your  virtues.  Delesme,  general  of  brigade. 

“ Porto-Ferrajo , May  4,  1814.” 

For  several  days  afterwards,  his  majesty  was  employed 
in  different  arrangements  for  his  establishment  ; and  works 
were  ordered,  commenced,  and  carried  on  with  vigour. 
His  majesty  made  several  excursions  in  the  environs  of 
Porto-Ferrajo  and  Porto-Longone,  to  examine  the  state  of 
agriculture  and  the  nature  of  the  recources  by  which  the 

O _ J 

poorest  classes  of  the  people  might  be  benefitted.  He  vis- 
ited the  quarries,  and  examined  with  great  attention  the  iron 
mines  which  constitute  the  chief  riches  of  the  island,  and 
which,  some  years  since,  he  had  made  use  of  to  endow  the 
leifion  of  honour. 

Almost  every  day,  whatever  was  the  state  of  the  weath- 
er, Buonaparte  took  a ride  to  his  country-house  of  St.  Mar- 
tin, in  the  environs  of  Porto-Ferrajo.  There,  as  well  as  in 
the  city,  the  emperor  did  not  disdain  to  examine  the  interior 
regulations  of  his  house,  caused  regular  accounts  to  be  hand- 
ed to  him,  and  entered  into  even  the  most  trilling  details 
of  domestic  or  rural  economy. 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


Whatever  might  have  been  the  ostensible  occupations  of 
Napoleon  on  the  island,  certain  it  is,  that  his  mind  and  his 
arrangements  had  a return  to  France  always  in  view.  Con- 
jecture hardly  breathed  the  idea  that  was  working  in  the  em- 
peror’s mind.  On  the  26th  of  February,  about  one  o’clock 
in  the  afternoon,  all  the  guards  received  orders  to  embark. 
Un  til  that  moment  no  one  knew  of  this  intention.  An  em- 
bargo had  been  laid  for  several  days  previous,  on  the  ves- 
sels in  the  port. 

The  joy  of  the  military  can  easily  be  imagined  when  they 
learned  that  their  destination  was  France.  They  jumped, 
they  ran  about,  and  embraced  each  other  like  persons  de- 
prived of  their  senses.  The  emperor’s  mother,  and  his  sis- 
ter, the  princess  Pauline,  contemplated,  with  eyes  moist- 
ened by  tears,  from  the  windows  of  the  palace,  the  interest- 
ing spectacle  of  so  many  brave  united  hearts,  animated  by 
a single  mind,  transported  by  a single  thought ; and  they  ex- 
pressed, by  all  the  signs  they  were  able  to  make  visible  at 
so  great  a distance,  how  much  they  were  affected  by  the  no- 
ble devotion  of  these  faithful  adherents  to  the  cause  of  the 
emperor  ; but,  in  their  noble  enthusiasm,  the  fearless  pha- 
lanx only  answered  by  repeated  cries  of  Paris , or  death  ! 

By  four  in  the  afternoon  the  whole  were  on  board.  The 
little  flotilla  consisted  of  the  brig  Inconstant,  of  26  guns, 
the  bomb-vessels  Etoile  and  Caroline,  and  four  feluccas. 
Four  hundred  men  of  the  old  guard,  chasseurs  and  gun- 
ners, were  embarked  on  board  the  brig  ; two  hundred  in- 
fantry, one  hundred  Polish  light-horse,  and  a battalion  con- 
sisting of  two  hundred  flankers,  were  put  on  board  the  oth- 
er vessels.  The  inhabitants  lined  the  shores,  and  made  the 
air  resound  with  cries  of  Long  live  the  emperor . 

A part  of  the  inhabitants  already  knew  that  they  were 
about  to  lose  their  benefactor,  their  father.  General  Lapi, 
chamberlain  to  his  majesty,  was  appointed  governor  of  the 
island,  and  published  the  following  proclamation  : 

“ Inhabitants  of  the  island  of  Elba  ! our  august  sove- 
reign, recalled  by  providence  to  the  career  of  glory,  has 
been  induced  to  leave  your  island,  of  which  he  has  left  me 
in  command.  The  administration  will  be  composed  ol  a 
junto  of  six  inhabitants,  and  the  defence  of  the  fortress  is 
committed  to  your  devotion  and  bravery". 

“ I am  about  to  depart  from  the  island  of  Elba  (said  heA 

63 


498 


THE  LIFE  OF 


“ I am  much  pleased  with  the  conduct  of  its  inhabitants. 
“ I leave  to  them  the  defence  of  this  country,  to  which  I 
“ attach  the  hightst  value.  I cannot  give  them  a greater 
“ proof  of  my  confidence  than  by  leaving  under  their  pro- 
(t  tection  my  mother  and  my  sister.  The  members  of  the 
“junto,  and  the  inhabitants  generally,  may  rely  on  my  good 
“ offices,  and  special  protection.” 

At  eight  in  the  evening  his  majesty  went  on  board  the 
brig.  Counts  Bertrand,  Drouet,  and  the  superior  officer 
who  had  accompanied  him  to  the  island,  embarked  in  the 
Inconstant.  Upon  his  majesty’s  arrival  on  board,  a gun 
was  fired  as  a signal  for  departure,  and  they  immediately  set 
sail. 

The  limits  of  the  present  work,  will  not  allow  a detail  of 
the  particulars  which  occurred  to  the  emperor  on  his  way  to 
the  capital  of  France.  At  various  points  he  was  met  and 
welcomed  with  the  loudest  acclamations  of  joy  by  the  sol- 
diery. His  army  accumulated  as  he  advanced,  and  on  the 
21st  of  March,  1815,  he  was  in  possession  of  Paris. 

The  return  of  Napoleon  put  all  the  forces  of  the  allies 
in  active  motion.  Europe  presented  a scene  of  great  per- 
turbation, and  preparations  were  rapidly  made  for  one  of  the 
most  important  battles  ever  fought.  Buonaparte  having 
cellected  ail  his  strength,  set  out  to  meet  the  army  of  the 
allies  on  the  2d  of  May.  The  battle  of  Waterloo,  in 
Flanders,  which  decided  the  fate  of  Napoleon,  commenced 
the  17th  of  June.  At  the  close  of  the  18th  Napoleon  saw 
clearly  that  his  hopes  must  perish,  and,  as  was  usual  with 
him  when  threatened  with  great  difficulty,  began  to  prepare 
for  his  own  escape. 

The  French  army,  when  it  crossed  the  Sambre,  on  the 
15th  of  June,  amounted  to  115,000  men.  It  lost  56,940. 

Between  four  and  five,  on  the  morning  of  the  19th,  the 
emperor  arrived  at  Charleroi.  He  ordered  the  pro- 
vision equipages,  which  had  been  left  in  the  rear  of  the 
town,  to  be  immediately  conveyed  to  Philippeville  and 
Avesnes,  and  from  thence  to  Laon  ; he  then  set  out  for 
Philippeville,  where  he  arrived  at  ten  in  the  morning.  He 
once  more  dispatched  orders  to  marshal  Grouchy  to  retreat 
on  Laon,  by  the  way  of  Rhetel  : and  directed  all  the  com- 
manders of  the  fortresses  on  the  Mi  use  to  hojd  themselves 
prepared  against  an  attack,  and  to  deiend  themselves  to  the 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


499 


very  last  extremity.  Generals  Rapp,  Lecourbe,  and  La- 
marque,  were  ordered  to  proceed  with  all  their  troops,  by 
forced  marches,  to  Paris,  and  to  adopt  every  possible  means 
of  accelerating  their  movements,  such  as  conveying  the  in- 
fantry in  carriages,  and  making  requisitions  for  horses  to 
drive  the  artillery. 

Meanwhile  the  wreck  of  the  army  was  repassing  the  Sam- 
bre  bv  the  bridges  of  Marchiennes,  Charleroi,  and  Chatelet. 
From  Gossclies  the  mass  of  fugitives  of  the  first  and  second 
corps,  who  had  passed  at  Marchiennes,  directed  their  course 
along  that  side  to  repass  the  river.  The  imperial  guard 
and  the  sixth  corps  retired  on  Charleroi.  It  became  more 
and  more  difficult  to  rally  the  army,  as  it  was  now  retreating 
on  several  different  points.  Prince  Jerome  proceeded  to  A- 
vesnes  to  assemble  the  corps  which  might  take  that  direction. 

Having  dispatched  all  the  orders,  which  circumstances 
rendered  necessary,  the  emperor  quitted  Philippeville  at 
two  in  the  afternoon,  leaving  marshal  Soult  to  assemble  the 
grand  head  quarters,  and  the  corps  which  might  proceed  to 
that  place  ; the  emperor  then  repaired  to  Laon,  whence  he 
dispatched  aid-de-camp  Flahaut  to  Avesnes,  to  obtain  new 
information.  General  Flahaut  found  at  Avesnes  a portion 
of  the  guard,  and  of  the  army  which  prince  Jerome  had 
already  assembled.  Aid-de-camp  De  Jean  was  sent  to 
Guise,  for  the  double  purpose  of  examining  that  place,  and 
rallying  the  troops  who  had  taken  that  direction.  Aid-de-camp 
Bussy  was  left  at  Laon,  to  make  preparations  for  the  army 
which  was  about  to  assemble  round  that  advantageous  posi- 
tion. Napoleon  then  proceeded,  with  all  possible  speed,  to 
Paris,  accompanied  by  the  duke  de  Bassano,  the  marshal  du 
Palais,  Bertrand,  and  his  aids-de-camp  Drouet,  Labedoyere, 
Bernard,  and  Gourgaud.  At  Paris  he  intended  to  remain 
forty-eight  hours,  in  order  to  anticipate  any  political  com- 
motion, to  which  the  news  of  the  disaster  might  tend  to 
give  rise  ; to  take  the  most  prompt  measures  for  completing 
arrangements  for  the  defence  of  the  capital  ; to  prepare  the 
public  mind  for  the  grand  crisis,  in  which  France  was  about 
to  be  placed  ; to  direct  on  Laon  all  the  troops  that  could  be 
withdrawn  from  the  depots  and  fortified  places  : in  a word, 
to  adopt  every  measure  for  the  execution  of  the  second 
plan,  to  which  France  was  now  reduced.  Napoleon’s  in- 
tention was  immediately  to  rejoin  his  army  at  Laon. 


500 


THE  LIFE  OF 


From  the  report  made  by  marshal  Grouchy  it  appeared, 
that  on  the  18th,  at  the  very  moment  when  he  received  or- 
ders to  march  on  St.  Lambert,  he  was  warmly  engaged  : 
though  master  of  a part  of  Wavres,  he  had  not  yet  been 
able  to  debouch  from  thence.  General  Gerard,  at  the  head 
of  the  fourth  corps,  had  been  seriously  wounded  in  his  at- 
tempt to  force  the  passage  of  the  river  at  Bielge.  In  this 
state  of  things,  the  marshal  directed  Pajol’s  corps  of  light 
cavalry,  and  three  divisions  of  infantry,  to  pass  the  Dyle  at 
Limale,  and  to  march  against  Bulow.  This  movement 
succeeded,  and  the  opposite  heights  were  carried  ; but 
night  had  set  in,  and  the  great  battle  was  concluded.  At 
break  of  day,  on  the  19th,  the  Prussians  attacked  in  their 
turn,  but  they  were  repulsed  at  every  point.  General 
Penne,  a most  valuable  officer,  was  killed  in  carrying  the 
village  of  Bielge. 

The  heights  of  Wavres  were  likewise  carried,  and  marshal 
Grouchy  was  preparing  to  march  on  Brussels,  when  he  re- 
ceived notice  of  the  loss  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo,  and  or- 
ders to  retreat,  which  the  marshal  immediately  did  in  two 
columns,  the  one  proceeding  directly  from  Temploux  on 
Namur,  and  the  other  by  the  high  road  from  Charleroi  to 
Namur. 

On  the  24th  the  whole  of  Grouchy’s  corps  arrived  at 
Rhetel,  and  on  the  26th  joined  the  army  at  Laon. 

The  loss  of  the  battle  of  Waterloo  placed  France  in  a 
very  critical  situation  ; but  the  precautionary  measures, 
which  the  emperor  had  adopted  previous  to  the  commence- 
ment of  the  campaign,  still  presented  resources  of  every 
kind.  The  remains  of  the  French  army,  after  having  pass- 
ed the  Sambre  and  rallied  at  different  points,  were  march- 
ed to  Laon.  On  the  26th  of  June,  the  army  which  had  as- 
sembled at  that  place,  amounted  to  upwards  of  sixty-five 
thousand  men.  Only  a few  thousand  troops  had  dispersed 
through  the  interior. 

Buonaparte  found  it  necessary  to  make  the  utmost  expe- 
dition to  avoid  falling  into  the  hands  of  the  allies.  He 
fled  with  the  utmost  precipitation  and  reached  Paris  on  the 
21st,  when  he  assembled  a council  of  ministers,  at  which 
the  measures  proper  to  be  adopted  in  the  existing  situation 
of  affairs  were  discussed.  It  was  determined  to  declare 
Paris  in  a state  of  seige ; to  convoke  the  chambers  at  Tours, 


NAPOLEON  BUONAPARTE. 


501 


and  to  remove  the  seat  of  government  to  that  city  ; to  give 
marshal  Davoust  the  command  of  Paris  ; and  to  appoint 
general  Clausel  minister  of  war.  The  decrees  for  these 
different  objects  were  undergoing  the  routine  of  official 
preparation,  and  orders  were  already  issued  for  doubling  the 
number  of  the  tirailleurs  of  the  national  guard,  and  giving 
them  arms  in  the  course  of  the  day.  It  was  proposed  that 
the  emperor  himself,  in  his  travelling  dress,  without  any 
retinue,  should  carry  these  resolutions  to  the  chambers, 
and  a minute  was  even  making  of  the  speech  it  was  thought 
fit  he  should  deliver,  when  information  was  brought,  that 
the  greatest  agitation  had  manifested  itself  in  the  chamber 
of  deputies.  About  noon  a message  was  received,  by  which 
it  appeared,  that  that  chamber  proclaimed  itself  permanent, 
no  longer  recognised  the  imperial  authority,  and  declared  it 
treason  against  the  country  to  propose  to  suspend  its  sit- 
tings. M.  de  Lafayette  appeared  to  come  forward  at  the 
head  of  a party,  whose  real  intentions  were  not  known. 
Some  moments  after  the  council  learned,  that  the  chamber 
of  peers,  following  the  example  of  the  deputies,  had  also 
placed  itself  in  revolt  against  the  emperor. 

These  two  events  suspended  all  proceedings  ; it  was  no 
longer  judged  proper,  that  the  emperor  should  appear  among 
the  deputies  of  the  nation,  after  they  had  declared  them- 
selves in  insurrection  against  his  authority.  The  ministers 
only  repaired  to  the  chambers,  where  they  announced  the 
arrival  of  the  emperor  at  Paris,  and  the  situation  of  affairs. 

In  the  evening,  the  plan  of  the  leaders  of  the  two  cham- 
bers developed  itself ; it  had  ramifications  even  in  the  min- 
istry, and  the  duke  of  Otranto  seemed  to  be  one  of  the 
principal  springs  of  its  movements.  The  most  disastrous 
news  soon  circulated  every  where.  It  was  said,  that  mar- 
shal Grouchy  had  not  eight  thousand  men  with  him  ; that 
all  the  army  was  destroyed.  The  enemies  of  Napoleon, 
the  friends  of  the  king,  the  partizans  of  the  foreign  powers, 
were  all  in  motion,  and  each  party  endeavoured  to  increase 
the  number  of  its  proselytes  in  the  national  guard. 

At  night  the  ministers  had  a conference  with  a deputation 
from  each  of  the  chambers.  The  spirit  of  the  chambers 
then  displayed  itself  completely.  The  danger  of  the  coun- 
try no  longer  consisted  merely  in  its  foreign  enemies,  and 
in  the  approach  of  the  victorious  armies  of  Waterloo,  but 


502 


THE  LIFE  OF 


principally  in  its  internal  divisions.  There  remained  then 
only  three  courses  for  the  emperor  to  adopt.  • 

The  first  was  to  proceed  at  day-break,  on  the  22d,  to  the 
palace  of  the  Thu illeries  ; to  assemble  there  all  the  troops 
of  the  line  then  in  the  capital ; the  six  thousand  men  of  the 
imperial  guard,  the  federals,  the  national  guard,  the  council 
of  state,  and  the  ministers  ; and  to  adjourn  the  chambers. 
The  sentiments  of  the  troops  and  the  federals,  who  would 
have  influenced  all  the  people  of  Paris,  were  to  be  relied  on, 
as  were  also  those  of  a part  of  the  national  guard ; for  a 
considerable  portion  of  that  body  was  not  well  disposed. 
There  was  reason  to  expect  some  opposition  to  the  adjourn- 
ment of  the  chambers,  since  they  had  declared,  that  they 
would  not  recognise  any  power  that  might  propose  to  sus- 
pend their  sittings.  No  serious  resistance  was,  however,  to 
be  apprehended.  The  chamber  of  deputies  would  have 
been  compelled  to  return  within  its  constitutional  bounda- 
ries, and  the  adjournment  would  have  taken  place. 

The  second  course  was  to  flatter  the  faction  that  govern- 
ed the  chambers,  and  to  allow  it  to  assume  the  authority  of 
the  state,  and  to  negotiate  directly  with  the  allied  sovereigns, 
by  sending  deputies  to  them  without  the  intervention  of  the 
emperor.  But  was  it  not  evident,  that  the  leaders  of  the 
chambers,  who  must  have  felt  themselves  com  prom  i ted  by 
the  hostility  they  had  displayed  against  the  emperor,  ancl 
have  feared  that  he  would  emancipate  himself  from  their 
mediation  as  soon  as  he  should  collect  a powerful  force, 
would  only  endeavour  to  embarrass  the  acts  of  the  admin- 
istration ? The  chambers  would  naturally  view  with  sus- 
oicion  the  measures,  which  the  imperious  circumstances  of 
such  a 'crisis  prescribed  ; in  a word,  instead  of  affording 
any  assistance,  they  would  have  paralysed  all  the  means  of 
defence  which  yet  remained.  It  was,  besides,  easy  to  fore- 
see, that  the  allied  sovereigns,  steady  in  their  policy,  would 
flatter  the  deputies  of  the  chambers,  and,  certain  of  being 
no  longer  interrupted  in  their  schemes  of  conquest  and  spo- 
liation, if  they  could  get  rid  of  the  only  man  still  capable 
of  opposing  their  designs,  w'ould  promise  every  thing  upon 
condition  that  Napoleon  should  be  removed  from  the  helm 
of  the  state.  To  have  adopted  this  course  would  then  have 
been  to  revert  at  the  end  of  five  or  six  days  to  the  same 


means  iu  un.i»  t 

ces  ; in  fine,  devote  thenia^- 

the  empire. 

The  emperor,  in  fixing  his  choice,  deliberateu  ^ 
the  first  and  the  third  course,  and  he  adopted  the  latter. 

All  the  struggles  of  Napoleon  to  retain  the  empire  in  his 
hands,  were  ineffectual.  His  proclamations  were  no  long- 
er heard,  nor  his  wishes  regarded.’  The  allies  were  deter- 
mined to  restore  Louis  XVIII.  and  on  the  3d  of  July,  Paris 
again  capitulated,  and  the  king  re-entered  on  the  8th.  Buo- 
naparte seeing  all  his  prospects  blasted,  and  full  of  appre- 
hension for  his  personal  safety,  determined  to  throw  himself 
into  the  protection  of  the  English.  On  the  I6th  of  July 
he  went  on  board  the  English  ship  Bellerophon,  and  gave 
himself  up  to  captain  Maitland  the  commander,  and  the 
next  day  sailed  for  England.  From  the  Bellerophon  he  was 
removed  to  the  Northumberland,  and  sailed  for  the  island  of 
St.  Helena,  the  place  selected  for  his  confinement,  August 
7th. 

This  mode  of  treatment,  however  censured  by  the  friends 
of  the  fallen  emperor,  was  unquestionably  for  the  peace  of 
Europe  ; and  he  who  had  paid  no  more  regard  to  his  own 
engagements  in  a former  abdication  than  we  have  seen,  was 
not  to  be  trusted  again.  He  landed  at  St.  Helena  October 
3d.  Here  probably  will  end  the  achievements  of  one  of  the 
most  successful  usurpers  of  whom  history  gives  any  ac 
count. 


Date  Due 


S2-3<,144  ■ NB1SA  31500 


